


A 

* * 

• <Lr^ <> *■ 

^ AV O . ♦ 

’ W A 

^ ^ v' • * * ^ -\0 

> .W/wV V.« 



1-0^ .ii"*, "*0, 

0 * 


* • 




O 

» I 

’^4' '>, 

t * 4 A ■*<>♦• 

4-^ *Cv«^» ’^;, c 

-ot.* .-^fe-- •«‘0« • 

-■ / °-“^ ■• 

AV UJ, ’e.o’ ^ **•’’ .. 


kP*»li 


o. *.-,.* tP ' 

\ 0 ' 



® A' 

^ ’ • oS 

*, O ,• 




• f\ ^ J. 

/ . - .’* ^0^ A 

* • • ’ * . .. -f^ * 

% .-4.^ 



^ V » 
l^** “V ^ " 


V 


a I* 0 


0 

O 

« 

o 


• '« 

O rP % % 

'*' **<’• ... ^ *■ 
* -iP .'ifc4W* 

“ V^„ <1^ » . •>“ 

"cv A <. 'o..* .<r 

-. -ov^ ;^^*« » 


y, 

c 



^ ^ ft 

y o - 

V* ^ 

Av V •*•<»# 

t*©- ,p A. 

♦ '^, • 

'••« \ fp^ .‘Si.! V ^o, ,■4.'*' t* 




o . 

• -9.^* ‘ 

_ - 4 , W \/ » * * CV 

•f- .•> ./5SB»i. '^<. A» .-.(SX^i'. 


• • s* ^ ’'X 

•>r .•“*■• (-O' ’°'> 

■b/ .'^^•- •"■‘O* : 

; V 

* rr, • ’ aO' 'V ' * «.T. »' ' aO^ 


4iU »<• 

V'*or«» 



%/ ' 




« aP * 

4 <?» ** 

• r ^ot t* *Cr ^ ^* • • » 

^ .‘‘j^:*. '^'f* c®^ ^®o 4-J>^ »••“* 

. A • a'^ 


■ \ 




kO ^ • 

r A r\ ^ ^ ^ ^ 

’ n? 

o w o * ^ 


* ’ * 

ao'^ . » • vir* *> 


*A *' » * ^ * *'0^0'' A^* ^ 

^V 4 ♦ • » ’^•v *\ « • • C^ A. \ 

- ^fe - %/ - jifer t ;-^'- ■^■'<' 


.'i:j^-\ c°'' .•*■'• 





o. '.r,*' a'V ' 

% ^*VyK5?^*. V. 




4 O 

o ^ «<» 

•* <ir ev, . 

*».«’ ^ •■..'• 

v' • ’ • 

' ^ ♦kVA' '^^•iv 4 > 

Av*'. '^i^» 

♦ <•? • ^T^lif 

* A<> ^ 'V.** A 

0° .^^I' ®0 4-J^ 


» •?v^ 4 








IRSAT NASSAR 


THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF 


JESUS THE NAZARENE 


BY 




PETER V F. MAMREOV 
ANNA F. MAMREOV 
B. A, F. MAMREOV 



For ye know the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that though he was rich yet for 
your sakes he became poor, — II. Corinthians y ^ 

1 'I'O - 'Z- 


NEW YORK 

SUNRISE PUBLISHING COMPANY 

II5 NASSAU STREET 

1S95 

Rights 0/ Translation Reservod 



-r- 

X 


Entered according- to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred 
and ninety-four, by 

PETER V F. MAMREOV, 

ANNA F. MAMREOV, 

B. A. F. MAMREOV. 

V. F. MAMREOV. 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 


ALL RIGHTS RESERVE!). 


Entered at Stationers’ Hall, London, England. 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction. 

Chapter I. — Princess Grapte of Kharax, . 

“ 11. — Our Lady of Grace, 

“ III. — Blessed ABOVE Women, 

IV. — The Virgin named Mary, 

V. — Youseph and Marya, 

“ VI. — Son of God, 

‘‘ VIL — The Lord Jesus, 

a VIIL— The Wise Men, 

“ IX. — Herod was Troubled, 

‘‘ X. — Flight into Egypt, 

“ XL — Jesus in the Land of Israel, 

XII. — First Visit to the Temple, 
XIIL — Jesus subject to his Parents, 

XIV. — The First Temptation, 

XV. — The Revelation, 

XVI. — The Abjuration, 

XVII. — The Lost Sheep, . . . 

XVIII. — The House of Merchandise, 

“ XIX. — The Second Temptaiton, 

XX. — The Essenes and the Sabbath, 
“ XXL — The Great Physician, 

“ XXII. — Judas Iscariot, 


17 

2 [ 

30 

41 

53 

78 

84 

94 

106 

119 

127 

^38 

152 

159 

181 

207 

231 

250 

267 

273 

282 
29 1 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

Chapter XXIII. — The Foal of an Ass, . . 301 

XXIV. — College of Physicians, . 309 

“ XXV. — Moses and Elijah, . . . 317 

‘‘ XXVI. — Attempts to Seize Jesus. — Martha 

AND Mary, ..... 323 

‘‘ XXVJI. — Judas Iscariot as Spy and Apostle, 325 

XXVIII. — Crowned with Thorns, . . 331 

“ XXIX. — Herod the Tetrarch of Gali- 


lee, 339 

XXX. — The Third Temptation, . , 349 

XXXI. — The Storm, .... 362 

“ XXXII — Public Entry into Jerusalem, 365 

XXXIII. — The Barren Fig Tree, . 377 

“ XXXIV. — The Great Traitor, . . 379 

“ XXXV. — Pontius Pilate, . . . 391 

XXXVI. — Catch of the Great Fishes, 404 

XXXVII. — ^Jesus versus Judaism and Es- 

SENISM, . ■ . . . . 407 

“ XXXVIll. — T he Snare, .... 423 

‘‘ XXXIX. — The Last Meeting, . . 433 

“ XL. — Betrayal and Arrest, . . 43^ 

XLI. — Forsaken, .... 453 

“ XLII. The Forty Days, . . 467 

“ XLIII. — Jesus, or Bar-Abbas, . . 492 

XLIV. — The Great Murder, . . 514 

“ XLV". — Resurrection and Ascension, 519 


INTRODUCTION. 


The authors of this work have enjoyed exceptional ad- 
vantages and opportunities for research, and for the attain- 
ment of information on matters social and religious in the 
lands of Syria, Palestine and Egypt. They lived many 
years in those countries, having been born in Jerusalem of 
Russian parents who primarily took up their residence in 
the Holy Land, with the object of seeking for such know- 
ledge as might cast a search-light upon the conflicting dog- 
mas and doctrines of Christian, Jewish and Mohamedan 
creeds, which all claim a common origin. 

A firman, or charter, from the Sultan of Turkey, Abd 
el Mejid, granted in 1840 to the father of the authors, gave 
him and his family prestige, not only with the ruling Mo- 
hamedan families, but also with the leading Oriental 
Christian and Moslem ecclesiastics. Two of the authors 
were connected at various times with the United States 
Consulate in Jerusalem, and one of them was also with the 
representative of the Palestine Exploration Society in that 
city. In this country one of the authors is well known as 
a lecturer on Bible lands, and another has for many years 
been connected with the daily newspapers in New York 
City. 

This story of the life of Jesus the Nazerene is given in 
an altogether novel form. While founded on strictly 
Christian and Jewish secular and ecclesiastical histories, as 
also on traditions and legends of oriental and occidental 
nations, the personages who figure in the tale are presented 
as every-day mortals, with all the human tendencies to 
good and evil which result in actions that influence and 
determine the course of each other's lives and fortunes. 


Introduction. 


There is, strictly speaking, no fiction in the story. The 
persons introduced are either historical or legendary. The 
tenets and dogmas, precepts and doctrines of the various 
creeds of that age are expressed or enunciated by the ac- 
tors, as the need arises for explanation through the condi- 
tions of things that surround, or cause the different events 
which are narrated. 

The story opens with an account of the direct ancestors 
of Jesus, his parents and other kinsfolk. In these chapters 
are interwoven the manners and customs of their race, the 
social and domestic conditions of their rank, the lands in 
which they lived, and the customs of people of other na- 
tionality or race with whom they came into social or re- 
ligious contact 

The birth, infancy, childhood and young manhood of 
Jesus occupy several chapters. The events therein nar- 
rated shed much light upon the allegorical statements of the 
Old and New Testaments, usually accepted as physically 
miraculous by Jews and Christians; for the tale follows up 
the development of the Perfect Man, who was in all things 
like we are, and yet without sin.'' It also demonstrates in 
which sense and under what condition he was born, the 
** Son of Mary and Joseph," and also the Son of God." 

At the age when young manhood is full of holy aspira- 
tions and eager to enter on the battlefield of life, full of 
faith that it can reform the world, Jesus is assailed by a 
mighty temptation which seemingly opens to him the 
greatest possibilities for doing good. He conquers, be- 
cause he is not self-seeking. In studying and working for 
the amelioration of his fellow- men, Jesus discovers the 
great imposition by which the pontiffs hold their people in 


INTRODUCTION. 


intellectual and spiritual darkness and bondage. He ex- 
poses the same ; and from that time is relentlessly hunted 
by those who have been profiting T^y the imposition. 

As the Great Physician and Teacher of that age, Jesus 
labors among the people of all classes and creeds. His 
lovable, beautiful character, and the sublime unselfishness 
of his life draw multitudes away from following after 
‘‘Jewish fables,’^ into the glorious liberty of the children of 
God, whose privilege it is to study and understand the All 
Father by the light of reason, and not through the interpre- 
tations of the infallible rabbis. 

Failing in an effort to have Jesus killed, as though 
accidentally, the pontiffs endeavor to induce Jesus by 
specious reasoning and advantageous offers to forbear to 
expose their profitable impositions ; and invite him to jom 
them, so that he might have the opportunity to elevate 
and purify their pious frauds. But he is opposed to all 
kinds of deceit, and again overcomes a great temptation. 

Grounded in the belief that a temporal sovereign can 
rectify all abuses by legislation and force, the people offer 
to make Jesus a King. But He teaches them that the 
Kingdom of God, which he seeks to establish cannot be 
forced upon men by the enactment of laws and by the 
sword ; but must proceed from within the individual man. 

Hopeless of inducing him to join them in their attitude 
towards the people ; envious of his great success and popu- 
larity, alarmed for the safety and very existence of their 
institutions the Jewish pontiffs resort to many arts by 
which to defame Jesus. They set snares to entrap 
and compromise him as an incitor to rebellion against the 
Roman Government. They persecute him, and bring 


INTRODUCTION. 


him into situations of great peril, from which they feel 
convinced he will not escape. These events are, in the 
New Testament, simply alluded to as, '' He escaped out of 
their hands.*^ But in secular history and tradition the sit- 
uations are full of dramatic interest and beauty. 

The foresight acquired by past experience, enables Jesus 
to provide for the continuance of his life work, and to pre- 
pare his apostles for the inevitable consequences of his 
brave fight against the powers of mysticism and ignorance. 

The appearance of Jesus to his disciples after death, 
the doubts of Thomas Didymus as to whether the material 
body had again been utilized by the Lord after having laid 
it aside, his views on the spiritual body, and the ascension 
of Jesus closes the story. 

The closing chapters picture the finale scenes ; his last 
arrest, imprisonment, trial, execution, death, and burial. 

The appendix begins with a concise description of the 
religious, social and political condition of the Jews, 
Romans, Egyptians and Parthians, and their relations to 
each other. Then follow copious quotations from the 
historical and other works on which each chapter of the 
story is founded. This appendix is not merely a collection 
of explanatory notes. It is a compend of citations. from 
historical and religious writings, and traditions of the great 
creeds which have dominated the destinies of the human 
race, the Egyptian, the Parthian, the Assyrian, the Jewish, 
the Mohamedan, the Christian. These have been drawn 
from many sources, some of which are not known to the 
general student, having been too jealously guarded, while 
the bearings of others upon the subject have been un- 
noticed or misinterpreted. THE AUTHORS. 


CONTENTS. 


5 


Section I. — Vicissitudes of the Bible Records. — Rabbis of each 
generation entitled to edit the Scriptures to suit themselves. 
— Who reads Scriptures only is like an atheist. — St. Peter 
and St. Paul’s opinion of converts who set themselves up as 
teachers. — Scribes’ records are enigmatic. — Falsifications of 
signatures very general in the time of Josephus and St. Paul. 
— Talmud record of facts in Jewish history differ from Scrip- 
tures. — The early Hebrew-Christian teachers. — Rabbi Yohan 
or the spurious St. John. — Rabbi Shaul or the spurious St. 
Paul. — Rabbi Simon Kepha or the spurious St. Peter — 
Ancient Jewish forgeries. — Circular letter of instructions for 
the preservation of Judaism. — Ancient records about Jesus 
defaced and rendered illegible. — Early Christianity under 
Rome. — Attempts to annihilate Christianity. — Constantine 
the Great. — Council of Nicaea. — How the dispute and choice 
of inspired scriptures was settled. — Christianity and the 
Moslem power. — Mahomed accuses Jews of forging the 
Scriptures. — Rabbis can alter the decrees of God, as did 
their ancient saints. — Transposition of words, etc., by the 
Rabbis. — The Zend Avesta. — Zoroastrian influence on Juda- 
ism — Religion of the Jews originally Saddusaic. — Sayings 
and doings of our Lord appropriated by Talmudists. — The 
Jewish written and 'oral laws. — What are the teachings of 
the Talmud. — Moral obligations loosened. — External cere- 
monial observance secures salvation. — Women are degraded. 
— Slaves are insulted. — Non-apostate Gentiles to be slain. — 
Gentiles not to be treated humanely. — Gentiles accused of 
having no marriages. — Teachings of Jesus not derived from 
the Rabbis. — Christianity’s only authority for Moses as an 
author is the Talmud. Pages 523-543. 

Section II. — Nazareth. — Meaning of the word. — Who was 
Mary the mother of Jesus. — Talmud asserts literal interpre- 
tation of Scriptures to be a lie. — The Rabbis and trades. — 
Geographical position of Nazareth. — Wliy so named. — By 
whom settled and cultivated. — Not an out-of-the-way place. 
— Genesseret. — Why so named. — Meaning and probable 
origin of Nazareth. — Prophecy of the Branch and Rod.” — 
Was it a synonym. — Hebrew signifies an immigrant. — Who 
was the Promulgator of Righteousness? — ^Jewish teachings 


6 


CONTENTS. 


disparage agriculturists and artisans. — Labor represented as a 
curse. — Jewish Messiah to be a political king. — Not neces- 
sarily a Jew. — Son of David a title to convey a meaning. — 
Jewish Messiah to subjugate Gentiles. — By similar methods 
as Solomon brought King Hiram and Queen of Sheba to 
terms. — The strong terror. — The skirts of a Jew only salva- 
tion from assassination for Gentiles. — 2,800 Gentile servants 
for each Jew. Pages 543-549. 

Section III. — Condition of the Jews at the time of Jesus. — He- 
brews to increase and dispossess the Gentiles. — To extort 
usury from Gentiles. — To feed Gentiles and proselytes with 
carrion. — Gentile nations to be despoiled and ruined by 
Judah and Jacob. — Palestine in the time of Jesus. — Not at 
all a Jewish country, neither by religion nor population. — 
Greek the language of the educated. — Aramaic the language 
of the people. — Rabbis claim that Judaism cannot co-exist 
with Gentile religion. — Rabbis claim the country south of 
Antioch as Land of Israel proper. — ^Jesus practiced the art 
of healing chiefly among the heathen. — Pharisees and Sad- 
ducees hate each other. — Essen es despise both of them. — 
But all Jews agree in hatred of Gentiles. — Gentiles were boy- 
cotted. — Gentile mothers not to be assisted in the hour of 
peril. — Jewish food and drink defiled by the presence of 
Gentiles. — The chosen people abroad. — Hebrews speedily 
dispossess nations who admit them. — Spread themselves all 
over productive countries. — Money transactions and trade. 
— They secured and utilized State secrets for their own ad- 
vancement. — Hebrews ever solely Hebraic. — ^Jewish com- 
munications with each other perfectly organized. — ^Jerusalem 
their headquarters. — Hebrews controlled the commerce of 
Egypt. — Had governors of their own. — Their synagogues. — 
Hebrews numerous in Antioch. — They enjoy not only citi- > 
zens’ rights but extraordinary privileges throughout the 
world. — Hebrews watch and influence government of Rome. 
— Claim the land between Tisjris and Euphrates. — Hebrews 
take no interest in development of Gentile cities. — Only in- 
tent on securing wealth of Gentiles. — Insult Gentiles in their 
own countries. — Export gold and gems and lock them up in 
Jerusalem. — Hebrews secure privileges through dissolute 
favorites of Gentile rulers. — No law prevents spread of Juda- 


CONTENTS, 


7 


ism. — Privileges granted to Hebrews tempt Gentiles to apos- 
tacise. — Silly Gentile women apostacise in large numbers. 
Pages 549-556- 

Section IV. — The Desire of the Gentiles. — Sacred book of the 
Iranians. — Ahura Mazda the Living Lord. — The seven holy 
immortals. — The Saviour of the Restoration. — The Aryan na- 
tions of Europe and Asia. — Original civilized family and 
social life. — Their separation. — Two great divisions. — Bel 
their common progenitor. — Not worshiped as Supreme Be- 
ing. — Expect a Great Deliverer. — Science of Astronomy. — 
One Invisible Creator. — The Kurds of Gordaean Mountains. 
— Not idolaters. — Venerate the star Sirius. — Stars consti- 
tuted as mediators. — Aryans never adopt low forms of idola- 
try as the Semites. — Religion of the Medes and Persians 
pure and spiritual. — The Supreme Invisible. — Ormuzd the 
source of good. — Ahriman the source of evil. — Incessant 
war between their followers. — Ormuzd will finally gain the 
victory. — Sun, Fire, Light, emblems of Ormuzd. — The Magi. 
— The Magi an learning. — Magi the great educators and 
physicians. — The Parthians rival power of Rome. Pages 

556-560- 

Section V. — Proselytes to Judaism. — ^Jesus denounced such 
apostacy. — Judaism makes men inhuman. — Different degrees 
of proselytes. — Conditions of admission to Judaism. — Prose- 
lytes must sever all ties both family and national. — 
Jews’ strict tests for proselytes. — In Messianic times no 
proselytes to be received. — Proselytes despised and hated by 
Hebrews.— But wealthy proselytes much sought after. — 
Demascene women apostacise to Judaism. — Betray their 
men. — Retaliation. — Adiabene principal of Assyrian prov- 
inces. — King Monabazus and Queen Helena. — The Hebrew 
Ananias. — Royal women of Kharax-Spasini embrace Juda- 
ism. — Also Queen Helena and Prince Izates. — The Camp of 
the Assyrians. — Helena’s palace at Jerusalem on Mount 
Acra. — Monabaz’ palace on Ophel. — Princess Grapte cousin 
of Queen Helena. — Her palace adjoins the Temple area. 
— ^These royal proselytes exceedingly charitable, — Speech of 
King Agrippa of the Herodian princes. — Denounces Jewish 
seditions. — Reminds them of their unfitness. — Romans a dis- 
ciplined people. — Jews a disorderly rabble. — Proselytes from 


8 


CONTENTS. 


Adiabene and other Gentile nations fight for the Jews. — 
Jewish generals agree in persecution, robbery and murder 
of peaceable Jews and proselytes. — ^Jews establish syna- 
gogues. — Rival Pagan temples in richness. — Jewish syna- 
gogues are places to hear the news. — Hebrews enjoy inde- 
pendence and privileges. — Pagan \vomen attracted to the 
synagogues. — Pagan men embrace Judaism for self-interest 
or of necessity. — Rabbis distrust proselytes till the fortieth 
generation. — Proselytes of the Gate. — Proselytes of Justice. 
Pages 560-567. 

Chapter I. — Princess Grapte of Kharax . — Jews move to subdue 
the world to themselves. — Equally prosperous in Roman and 
Parthian dominions. — Formidable Jewish influence. — 
Dreaded by the merchants. — Jewish unity a notable advan- 
tage. — Jews thus get control of all business interests. — They 
despise agriculture and hand trade. — Royal Gentiles embrace 
Judaism. — Palaces of Queen Helena and Princess Grapte. — 
Leaders of Gentiles to become slaves of Jews. — Grandpar- 
ents of Jesus wealthy and charitable. — Birthplace of the Vir- 
gin Mary. — Pages 567-569. 

Chapter II. — Our Lady of Grace, — How Israel treated strang- 
ers. — High Priest curses Joachim for being childless. — Rabbi 
asks Jesus of his parentage. — An orthodox Jew must divorce 
a childless wife. — ^Jews may divorce their wives on account 
of a poor dinner. — A Jew may abandon his wife for a more 
attractive woman. — Other reasons for divorce with loss of 
dowry. — A women cannot divorce her husband under Is- 
rael’s law. — Jews charge Jesus with being of Gentile race. — 
Pages 569-571. 

Chapter III. — Blessed above Wo 7 nen, — Joachim makes a feast. 
— Women clothed with Sun. — Hail Mary. — The Messiah of 
Israel. — Seventh Day Adventists’ Messiah. — Messiah of 
Jewish history. — Biblical Messiahs. — ^Jews worshipped the 
Great Serpent until Hezekiah’s time. — Hypothesis of pre- 
Adamite races not contrary to Catholic dogma. — Pages 

571-572. 

Chapter IV. — The Virgin named Mary . — Talmud asks: Where is 
Mary’s genealogy ? — John of Gischala appropriates Grapte’s 


CONTENTS. 


9 


palace. — Mary’s royal cousin embraces Judaism. — Who the 
Queen Helena of the Talmud was. — Mary was a wealthy 
princess. — Talmudists writings to be read with care. — Mary 
a woman of independent thought. — Pages 572-573. 

Chapter V. — Youseph and Marya. — Tahuud record of the be- 
trothal of the Virgin Mary. — Form of Mekadesh betrothal. 
— The Virgin Mary’s cousin, Queen Helena, andthejews. 
— i"age 574. 

Chapter VI. — Son of God. — Soteriology. — The holy maid 
Eretat fedhri. — Saviour of the Restoration. — Prophecy of 
the Assyrian Sybils. — Prophecy of Balam of Assyria. — An- 
nunciation by the angel. — Hail Mary. — Son of God of 
Life. — So-called heathen religion. — Jewish religion. — Jesus 
not a Son of David. — Pages 575-577. 

Chapter VII. — The Lord Jesus. — The decree of Caeser Augus- 
tus. — Rabbinical name for Jesus. —Talmud teaches that God 
can sin. — Talmud record of location of Jesus’ birth. — Migdel 
Eder.— Pages 577-578. 

Chapter VIII. — The Wise Men. — Birth of Jesus. — The Wise 
Men. — The Holy Cause. — Page 578. 

Chapter IX. — Herod was Troubled. — Jewish expectations. — 
Jewish patriots. — Pages 578-579. 

Chapter X. — Flight into Egypt — The warning. — The Wise 
Men. — The ox-manger. — The inn. — Pages 579-589. 

Chapter XL — Jesus i?i the Laiid of Israel. — The Land of Is- 
rael. — Why so named. — Why Rabbi Yohanan went to 
Babylonia. — ^Jesus as a boy. — His games. — Accused of 
breaking the Sabbath. — Pages 580-581. 

Chapter XII . — First visit to the Temple . — Last year of taxing 
the inhabited earth by Caesar. — The return from Assur. — 
Jewish visits of obligation to the Temple at Jerusalem. — 
Women and deformed man excluded. — Jesus goes to Jeru- 
salem with his parents. — Stays behind when they leave. — 
Relations of Rabbis to the people and to Gentile Rulers. — 
Rabbinical law for training boys. — Hebrew science and 
morals. — Astronomy. — Arithmetic. — Medicine, — Claims to 
holiness. — Oath to Gentiles. — Pages 581-584. 


to 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter XIII. — Jesus subject to his Parents . — Jesus in the Tem- 
ple. — Jesus’ denunciation of the unfilial teachings of the 
Rabbis. — Rabbinical doctrines on filial duty. — ^Jesus and 
the Jewish secret doctrines. — Not for the common people 
—Pages 585-587. 

Chapter XIV. — The First Temptation . — Rabbiolatry of the 
Jews. — The oath with reservation. — Children of Proselytes. 
— Jewish Modus Operandi. — Son of Man as expected by 
the Hebrews. — Who had the power ? — Pages 587-589. 

Chapter XV. — Revelation . — The Pillar of Cloud. — Why the 
Third Commandment was given. — Cabbalistic interpreta- 
tation of the name Jehovah. — The Shekhenah. — The Media- 
trix between God and Man. — Mahomedans acknowledge 
only a single God. — Probable derivation of the names 
Shekhenah, Sheket and Isis. — The Shekhenah’s of the Ark 
and of Solomon’s Temple. — The Glory in the Egyptian 
Temples. — Solomon’s cabbalistic temple. — Presence of 
Deities in sacred stones, — Phoenicians not idolators. — Ori- 
gin of Bethel. — The Eben Shatheyah. — The oracle of the 
breastplate. — How the Shekhenah came to be in the Jewish 
Temple in Egypt. — The Shekhenah lost in Jerusalem ap- 
pears in Egypt. — Why the Shekhena came to Israel. — Name 
of God Kave Yokhel, its probable derivation. — The Holy 
Family in Egypt. — Faith of the heathen Egyptians. — Pages 

589-598- 

Chapter XVI. — The Abjuration . — Feast of the Shekhenah. — 
The day of Atonement. — Thenamejehovah. — Claims of the 
Hebrew saints and elders. — The words of our Lord and 
Master Jesus. — Hebrew designation of a wicked man. — 
Heathen designation of Jesus Christ. — Jesus is excommuni- 
cated and abjures Judaism. — The Jewish Kherim or Great 
Excommunication. — Rabbis entitled to alter Scripture to 
suit themselves. — Jesus in Egypt. — Julius Caesar in Egypt 
with Hyrcanus of the Asmoneans. — Pages 598-602. 

Chapter XVII. — The Lost Sheep . — Fate of those who abjure 
Judaism. — Jesus waylaid on his return from Egypt. — Pages 
603-604. 


(!:ONTENtS. 


1 1 

Chapter XVI 1 1 . — T/ie House of Merchandise , — ^Jews compelled 
by their leaders to cast out their wives with their children. 
— Sanhedrim plots to compel Mary to live with Yohanan 
and to kill Jesus. — Taking possession of ancient shrines. — 
Jewish commercial government and secret of Israel’s suc- 
cess. — All Israel are brethren. — Income of the Temple’s 
Priests. — Jesus drives the traders out of the Court donated 
for Sanctuary by his ancestors. — Temple markets in Court 
of the Gentiles. — The deadly feud. — Helena approves Jesus’ 
actions. — Pages 604-612. 

Chapter XIX.— The Second Temptatio 7 t , — What the priests 
needed to make the temple a complete success. — Jesus’ 
favorite haunts were on and about Olivet. — The priests and 
rulers wanted Jesus’ great possession. — Prophecy a valuable 
aid to further the policy of Jewish rulers. — The pierced 
Stone. — Jesus refuses to return to Judaism and must die. — 
Choose between Judaism and death. — Nothing can tempt 
Jesus. Pages 612-614. 

Chapter XX . — The Essenes and the Sabbath . — List of authori- 
ties for the chapter on Essenes and the Sabbath. Page 612^ 

Chapter XXI . — The Great Physician . — Where Jesus studied 
medicine. — Jewish ideas of demons. — Assyrian definition 
of demons. — Talmud record of Jesus as a physician. — Tal- 
mud record of Jewish Rabbis as physicians. — Rabbis settle 
differences between God and his angels. — Not a Son of 
David. — Jesus pities the common people. — The Jews perse- 
cute him. Pages 615-619. 

Chapter XXII . — Judas Iscariot . — Rabbi Yehuda Ish Bari 
Totha. — The two Messiahs. — Son of David. — Son of Joseph. 
— Ephraim the Messiah. — Rabbinical expectations of the 
Messianic period. — Judas Iscariot and the chief priests. 
Pages 619-620. 

Chapter XXIII . — The Foal of an Ass . — Allegories in the Scrip- 
tures. — Jews control the politics of Adiabene. — King Izates 
forced into Judaism. — Cuthean and Samaritan are synonym- 
ous terms. — Jews designate Gentile women as she-asses. — 
Who was the Messiah Anani ? Pages 621-623. 


12 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter XXIV. — College of Physicians. — ^Jesus goes to Galilee. 
— Teaches and heals the people. — Women minister with him. 
— Jesus gives his disciples power to heal. — Talmud record of 
Jesus as a physician in Galilee. — Helena permits persecu- 
tion and arrest of Jesus. Pages 623-625. 

Chapter XXV. — Moses and Elijah. — Talmud record that Jesus 
was warned. — Jewish records accuse Moses of robbery and 
murder. — Jesus’ opinion of his predecessors. — Privileges of 
Godless robbers under Jewish law. — St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s 
opinion of the Hebrew, — Christian teachers. — Jesus and his 
apostles on the Mountain. Pages 625-627. 

Chapter XXVI. — Attempt to Seize Jesus. — Martha and Mary. — 
Talmud record of attempt to seize Jesus in Galilee. — Mardia 
and Mary — No Jewish women could be public teachers. 
Pages 627-629. 

Chapter XXVII. — Judas Iscariot as Spy and Apostle. — Talmud 
records of Judas as spy and apostle. — Nowhere to lay his 
head. — Jesus sends out the seventy and two. — His charge to 
them. Pages 629-630. 

Chapter XXVIII. — Crowned with Thorns. — At the instance of 
the chief priests Helena inveigles Jesus and they torture 
him. — Cabbalistic meaning of soaring like an eagle. — Dissent- 
ers from Judaism must be executed or assassinated. — ^Jews 
may commit perjury. — Precedent established by Jehovah. — 
Jews neighbors are Jews only. — Who was the progenitor of 
the Jews? — 'Phe chosen priesthood torture Jesus. Pages 
630 - 633 - 

Chapter XXIX. — Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee. — Escape of 
Jesus from the Priests. — Herod the Tetrarch friendly to 
Jesus. — Jesus was of Gentile descent. Pages 634-635. 

Chapter XXX. — The Third Temptation. ^ Temptsition of Jesus 
according to Gospel records. — Rabbinical interpretation of 
Messiah on the pinnacle. — Rabbinical interpretation of 
Israel’s restoration. — Messiah of Judaism the anti-Christ of 
the gospels. — Adiabene nobles revolt against their renegade 
king, Pages 635-636. 


CONTENTS. 


13 


Chapter XXXI. — The Storm. — The disciples start for Caper- 
naum. — The wind is contrary. — The disciples are frightened. 
— Peter walks on the water and begins to sink. — Is rescued 
by Jesus. — Jesus joins the disciples. Page 637. 

Chapter XXXII. — Public Entry into Jerusalem. — Frequent vis- 
its of Helena and sons to Jerusalem. — Talmud’s account of 
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. — 'I'he House of the Unripe 
Fruit. — The disciples do not understand certain expressions 
of welcome. — Who is this ? — Bethphage and the Talmud. — 
Two streams of people meet. — Jesus and his disciples taken 
by surprise. — Motives that prompt legislation must not be 
questioned say the rabbis. — The four kinds of children. — 
The wise one. — The wicked one. — Streams of blood to wash 
Jewish sins. — All pascal lambs slaughtered in the temple 
court. — The priests were the butchers. — Their dress for the 
occasion. — The sprinklings and libations of blood. — Music 
and singing. — Flaying the animals. — The part sacrificed. — 
The pascal supper. — The passover wine. — Learning not an 
essential of the High Priest’s office. — He could be whipped 
by the Sanhedrim. Pages 637-645. 

Chapter XXXIII. — The Barren Pig Tree. — Jesus goes to the 
temple. — The house of prayer. — The den of robbers. — Israel 
was that barren fig tree. Page 645. 

Chapter XXXIV. — The Great Traitor. — The familiar friend. — 
Queen Helena’s influence, — Helena Queen of Adiabenehad 
a palace at Lydda. — Jesus betrayed. — Condemned to be 
stoned. — Jesus not of Davidic descent. — Meaning of the 
cock crow. Pages 646-648. 

Chapter XXXV. — Pontius Pilate. — Jesus rescued by his follow- 
ers. — The Spring of Water. — Roman officials and soldiers 
pay respect to Jesus. — The Jewish chief priests object. — Am 
la Jew? — Pharisees prevail nothing. — Sanhedrim required 
to obtain permit to hold court for capital offenses. Pages 
648-650. 

Chapter XXXVI. — Catch of the Great Fishes. — Jesus regains 
power. — Converts many Gentiles. — Fishers of men. — The 
great fishes. — The cross not found on old Christian tombs. 
— Fish symbolical of Gods or leaders. Pages 650-652. 


14 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter XXXVI I . — Jesus versus Judaism and Essenism,—r- 
Master and Lord. — Sanhedrim can punish when it sees fit. — 
Whether the people deserve it or do not. — What excommuni- 
cation meant. — All Jews forced to pay temple tribute. — The 
Jews managed to obtain more rights and privileges than the 
people among whom they lived enjoyed. — The Jewish soul, 
its parts and uses. — What originated the idea of five parts of 
the soul ? — Rabbinical doctrines. — Indulgence inculcated. — 
Essene abstinence enforced. — Christian moderation enjoined. 
— Status of Jewish women. — Why women are prohibited from 
appearing as witnesses. — Women should live in seclusion and 
be confined to domestie work. — Woman created for man’s 
pleasure, but is his inferior. — Accustomed to be deceived. — 
Women too silly and depraved for God to notice them sep- 
arately. — Why the serpent went after Eve. — God failed to 
create a good woman spite of all his precautions. — Why 
women must not pray aloud, and must clap their hands 
while singing. — Woman’s property passes to husband on 
marriage. — Women must not study. — Must not teach in 
synagogue. — Privilege to wrong and ill-treat women reserved 
for Jews only. — Status of women among the Essenes. — Status 
of women under the Gospel of Jesus. — Rabbis amazed at 
Jesus being considerate to women. — Status of children ac- 
cording to Jewish doctrines. — Infants and young children 
unclean and evil like their mothers.— Marriageable age of 
Jewish girls. — Naughty boys to be stoned by the congrega- 
tion. — Pre-natal sin. — Jews may sell their daughters for serv- 
ants. — Status of children under the Gospel of Jesus. — Jewish 
Messiah could not have blessed children. — Status of rulers 
according to Jewish doctrines. — Status of rulers according to 
the Gospel of Jesus. — Relations between masters and slaves, 
employers and employees, according to Jewish doctrines. 
— Condition of service among the Essenes. — Relations be- 
tween employers and employees according to the teachings 
of Jesus. — Attitude of the Jewish priests and rabbis regard- 
ing taxation by the State. — Decree of Julius Caesar in favor 
of the Jews. — Teachings and example of Jesus on the rights 
of taxation by the State. — Attitude of Jewish priesthood 
towards the laity. — The oral not the written law the founda- 
tion of Judaism. — Blockheads study the Scriptures only. — 
Country folks cannot be saints. — Attitude of Essenes toward 


CONTENTS. 


15 


the brotherhood of lower degree. — Attitude of Jesus toward 
the uninitiated and the common people. — Commune of the 
Essenes. — Jesus disrupts the commune for his disciples. — 
Jesus forbids Jewish hierocracy among his followers. — Jesus 
foretells the political and ecclesiastical future. — Jesus pro- 
vides for the care of his flock. — Jesus provides for his moth- 
er’s protection. Pages 652-674. 

Chapter XXXVIII . — The Snare . — ^Judas volunteers as a spy. 
— Sanhedrists plot to entrap Jesus. — Servants and soldiers of 
the chief priests — Court of Judgment of the Essenes. — 
Council of Sanhedrim consult how to ensnare J esus. Pages 
674-677. 

Chapter XXXIX . — The Last Meeting , — The Coenaculum. — 
Chamber of the Last Supper. — ^Judas in disguise as an Essene. 
Pages 677-679. 

Chapter XL . — Betrayal and Arrest . — Betrayal and arrest. — 
Talmud account of the betrayal. — The Sicarii. Pages 
680-681. 

Chapter XLI. — Forsaken . — What is said in the Gospel of St. 
Peter. — Annas President of the Sanhedrim. — Irial of Jesus 
conformable to Jewish law. — Rabbinical definition of relig- 
ious seducers. — Jesus asks his suzerain’s protection, but she 
obeys the chief priests, who mock him. Pages 681-684. 

Chapter XITI . — The Forty Days . — High Priests the political 
rulers. — Rabbinical mode of criminal procedure. — Put to 
death brother, son, wife, daughter or friend who asks you to 
change your religion. — Violation of the Sabbath a capital 
crime. — Pharasaic law on contradictory witnesses. — Human 
sacrifice. — Observance of this rite by the Jews. — The Pass- 
over season the most propitious and acceptable time for 
these practices. — Talmud invocation for first night of Pass- 
over. — Fate of Haman and his sons a warning to all who 
oppose the Jews. — Are these men marked for death? — All 
opponents to be crushed. — Jesus before the Sanhedrists. — 
Israel is the Son of God according to the Cabala. — Pilate 
remonstrates with the chief priests. Pages 684-697. 


i6 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter XLIII. — Jesus^ or Bar-Abbas, — Robberies of the High 
Priest Annas and his henchmen. — Titus’ generals advise de- 
molition of the Temple as a hotbed of conspiracy and rebellion 
against himself and against Rome in return for kindness and 
many privileges granted the Jewish people. — Gentiles for- 
bidden to enter Temple on pain of death. — What the name 
Cyrus signifies. — The Jews persuaded the Persians to build 
them a temple and grant them unlitimed privileges. — Plots of 
the chief priests to assure Jesus’ death. — High Priests would 
not enter Roman Judgment hall. — The Jews and not the 
Romans killed Jesus. — Pilate washed his hands to show the 
Jews that Rome was not a participant in the murder of 
Jesus. — Pilate’s last appeal for Jesus in the Tower of An- 
tonia. — Pages 697-707. 

Chapter XLIV . — The Great Murder , — Talmud account of the 
murder of Jesus. — Jewish modes of execution. — Meaning of 
the words: ‘‘carrying the cross.” — The Jewish Hierocracy 
and not the Romans murdered Jesus. — Who Nicodemus 
was. — Prison of the Christ in the great Cathedral of the 
Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. — Remains of old city wall in- 
side the modern city. Pages 708-711. 

Chapter XLV . — Resurrection and Ascension, — Why the holy 
women went to mourn at the Holy Sepulchre before day- 
break. — Talmud account of how the chief priests abused the 
sacred body of our Lord. — The holy sepulchre. — The holy 
women. — He is not here. — The Apostles taught the exist- 
ence of the spiritual body. Holy women and disciples di- 
rected to go to Viri Galilei on Mount of Olives. Pages 


lESAT NASSAR : 

THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF 

JESUS THE NAZARENE. 


CHAPTER I. 


PRINCESS GRAPTE OF KHARAX. 

The beautiful, gracious and wealthy Princess Grapte, of 
Kharax, a cousin of Queen Helena of Adiabene, was betrothed 
to marry her cousin Nakeeb, a prince of the province of Adia- 
bene, and descendant of the ancient royal family of Media. 

The bridal trousseau of the princess was to be one of un- 
equalled magnificence and beauty ; and Ananias, who had long 
before secured the custom of the royal family, now received the 
order to supply the necessary material and jewels for the occasion : 
which, besides the outfit of the bride included also wedding gar- 
ments for guests and retainers. 

As a rule, the tribes of the eastern Aryans were a pastoral and 
warlike people, but not much given to trading. Consequently 
Hebrews had spread themselves in vast numbers over the feud- 
atory provinces of Parthia; and beginning as peddlers, soon 
possessed themselves of the commercial interests of the country, 
and grew wealthy. 

Ananias had started as a peddler among the villages of 
Kharax-Spasini. He seemed to be poor and meek, and was 
kindly treated by his customers, who supplied him with shelter 
and such food as he would eat, gratis ; besides generous payment 
for his wares. He had, however, a prying disposition, and a 
tenacious memory. His prying propensities led and enabled him 


2 


lESAT NASSAU. 


l8 

to acquire a thorough knowledge of the circumstances of the 
people of all classes in the country where he made his rounds. 
And congregating at stated intervals and certain points with other 
peddlers, he was able to obtain from them all other information 
which he lacked and needed for his own use and advantage, and 
to further the interests of Judaism. But these characteristics were 
veiled by an outward show of great humility and piety. He 
therefore passed among the frank, unsuspicious Aryans as a hard 
working, honest, sympathetic stranger. He made good capital 
out of the spiritual aspirations and kindly natures of the women; 
and to find opportunity for influencing their religious beliefs 
Ananias would time his trading visits to occur when the men 
were at work in the fields, or with the flocks and herds in the 
pasture lands, and the women were at leisure to converse. Thus 
he prospered, and to the trade of a peddler he early added the 
more lucrative one of moneylender; taking jewels in pledge, and 
mortgages on crops, houses and lands for security. Step by step, 
he quickly ascended in the social scale as he accumulated riches, 
secured the patronage of the royal family of Kharax, and became 
the wealthiest merchant of that province. 

To the royal castle, Ananias now made almost daily visits; 
either in response to the summons of the noble ladies, or to sub- 
mit new styles and rare jewels to their inspection. No longer 
carrying the peddler’s pack on his own back, he now rode a valu- 
able animal, accompanied by a long train of mules laden with 
rich and costly merchandise, while to guard him and his wares, 
rode a company of Aryan retainers of the royal family. In his 
attitude towards the native country folk Ananias had long ago 
thrown off the last semblance of humility, and was now arrogant. 
But to the wealthy nobles and chieftains he was still the obliging 
and pious Hebrew, who yearned and lived and labored only for 
the restoration of the ancient glory of the Temple of Israel; a glory 
which received its greatest lustre chiefly from the fervid imagina- 
tion and exaggerated descriptions of Semite Orientals. 


princess GRAPtE OF KHARAX. 

Ananias made such indefatiguable use of his opportunities to 
work on the devout nature of the royal ladies who patronized 
him, that he succeeded in winning them over to Judaism. He 
entertained them with innumerable marvellous stories, the object 
of which was to prove how the Deity had taken so great an in- 
terest in the Hebrews, that he frequently disturbed and dis- 
arranged the universal laws of nature for their accommodation, 
and to the confusion and disaster of other races; as also that the 
dual Deity of Israel was more powerful than other Deities. These 
wonderful tales were listened to with the avidity natural to the 
period of the childhood of a race, as well as of the individual. 

The Princess Grapte was endowed with a high order of in- 
tellect and intelligence ; but these had unfortunately lain fallow 
in the midst of prosperity, ease and happiness. Therefore, while 
her instincts revolted against many of the teachings and practices 
of Ananias and his race, her exceeding piety, cultivated at the 
expense of her practical common sense, was the lever by which 
she was induced to accept, as divine revelations of an inscrutable 
deity, the illogical fables of hybrid Judaism. 

Ananias having succeeded in converting the women of the 
royal family of Kharax-Spasini stood high in the favor and con- 
fidence of the central power of Judaism at Jerusalem ; to whom 
it became an easy matter to rule the princes and chieftains of 
Kharax-Spasini and Adiabene through the hold thus obtained 
over their women. In many instances the men were so attached 
to their wives and mothers, that through them, they also were 
persuaded to accept the Jewish creed. Prince Nakeeb, of Adia- 
bene, after his marriage, though much against instincts which he 
could not define, was won over by his dearly loved wife to re- 
ceive the teachings of Ananias, and become a proselyte. 

Like all other wealthy princes, this royal couple occupied 
their various palaces and castles according to the season of the 
year. All happiness which natural nobility of character, aristo- 
cratic instincts and breeding, mutual love, devotion of friends and 


20 


lESAT NASSAR. 


retainers, and immense wealth with good health, could supply, 
belonged to Prince Nakeeb and Princess Grapte. There was but 
one drawback ; for the years passed, and their union had not 
been blessed with children. 

When Prince Nakeeb, of Adiabene, formally joined the Jewish 
congregation he received the name of Joachim, and the Princess 
Grapte, of Kharax, that of Hannah, or Anna. To her belonged 
that palace of Grapte mentioned by Josephus as adjoining the 
Temple area at Jerusalem, the probable site of which is now 
known as the Church of St. Anna. 

Prince Nakeeb, of Adiabene, and Princess Grapte, of Kharax, 
or Joachim and Anna, accepted the teachings of Judaism with- 
out reserve, so far as it inculcated the duty of continuously giving 
costly offerings to the Temple, and large donations to its priests. 
To this they devoted one-third of their income. Another third 
they distributed in alms to the Jewish poor, and the strangers 
who were in need; and the remainder was reserved for the main- 
tenance of their own household, which in the family of a prince 
in the Orient included several hundred retainers employed about 
the properties, residences and persons of the chiefs ; also the 
keeping open house and free entertainment for any members of 
the clan who came to visit or pay their respects on festivals or 
other special occasions. 

Joachim and Anna went down to Jerusalem every year to 
pray that the Almighty would grant them offspring which they 
vowed to dedicate to the service of God. The Jewish priesthood 
made many invocations for the same object, but the royal pros- 
elytes continued childless. Then the ecclesiastical expositors of 
Judaism persuaded Anna to deed her palace, which adjoined the 
Temple, with the rest of her vast property in such manner, that 
failing issue in her direct descendants, the whole should pass to 
the Temple and its priests 


See Appendix corresponding chap. I. Also pages of same, 
527. 534, 535. 543. 548, 554. 555. 560, 562, 563- 


OUR LADY OF GRACE. 


21 


CHAPTER II. 


OUR LA.DY OF GRACE. 

Twenty years had passed, but Nakeeb, of the Median nobles 
of Adiabene, and his wife, Grapte, of Kharax, were still childless. 
During this time, however, the priests had repeatedly urged upon 
Nakeeb, or Joachim, the advisability of seperating from his wife, 
Grapte, or Anna, and marrying a Jewish maiden. For, said 
they, it may be the will of the Lord to give you children only by 
a daughter of Israel. At the same time they labored to persuade 
Anna that it was her duty to accept a divorce from her husband, 
as her barrenness was a sign that Joachim could not be her des- 
tined affinity. They further advised that, when free, she ought 
to wed a son of Israel, from which union Messiah might per- 
chance proceed. But to these clean-souled, spiritually-minded 
Aryans such carnality was revolting. Therefore gently, but 
firmly, Joachim and Anna declined to follow such counsel. 
However, the priests becoming importunate, these royal proselytes 
indignantly refused to argue the matter any further with such 
advisors. 

Finding persuasion and argument of no avail, they had 
resorts to threats and coercion; and when Joachim came to pre- 
sent his offerings to the Temple, the High Priest publicly treated 
it with contempt, and Joachim himself with insult, by demanding 
how he, who had no children, dared to present himself among 
those who had them. The High Priest then announced that 
God rejected the offerings of Joachim, not counting him worthy 
to have children, and also proceeded to pronounce the ban of 
the Hebrew sacred scriptures, which said: ^‘Cursed be every 
one who does not beget a male in Israel.” After this Joachim 
was forbidden to present himself in the Temple until he should 
free himself from the ban, by begetting a child, 


22 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Twenty years of association with Judaism had taught Joachim 
enough to know that continued opposition to the commands of 
the priests would endanger his life. He therefore prudently de- 
cided to take a journey to Parthia, 

When Anna heard of the insult offered to her husband she 
became angry; but the errors of Judaic teaching had so sunk 
into her soul that she asked Joachim to leave her, and take 
another woman to wife, if it was the will of the Deity, as revealed 
by the High Priest. Many of our kinsmen, clansmen and 
retainers, she said, have joined the sect of the Essenes, and 
my lot shall be with them. I used to think that their views in 
regard to the marriage relations of the childless were too severe : 
but they may be right. It were easier, methinks, to part with life 
than to leave thee. Perad venture, therefore, the Lord will 
accept of such sacrifice on my part, and grant thee children by 
a daughter of Judah. 

Nakeeb, Prince of Adiabene, instinctively grasped the jew- 
elled hilt of the dagger he wore in his girdle; and Joachim, the 
proselyte, was temporarily annihilated, while he exclaimed: 
Death to him who should attempt to enforce our separation for 
such purposes ! Oh Princess; oh Grapte! who hast been always 
the light of my eyes, and the beloved of my soul, I pray thee, 
pollute not thy tongue and my ears by ascribing to the will of 
the Almighty the wicked machinations and avaricious ambitions 
of men. However, since it hath pleased the Almighty to with- 
hold the blessing of children from us, and the High Priest hath 
pronounced the curse on me, it were wiser and safer for us to 
part for a time. I must travel to Parthia, and visit my shepherds 
for the annual reckoning of the flocks and herds. But do thou 
abide in Galilee; and my nephew, Youseph, will tarry with you 
till I return. Though he be young, I can rely on his judgment 
to act wisely and promptly at all times. Thou, my lady, be not 
dismayed nor persuaded to take any hasty measures during my 
absence. Youseph will, in case of unforseen emergency, give 


OUR LADY OF GRACE. 


23 


notice to our kinsmen, the chiefs of the Essenes ; and it will be 
a bold man who Avill dare molest thee when the faithful band is 
warned and on guard. If it be sa ordained that a sacrifice is 
demanded of us, we will both join the Essenes; for they be good 
and true, and endeavor to serve the Supreme with purity of soul 
and body. 

Thy will is ever mine, my lord, replied the gentle Anna. 
Youseph hath been as a dutiful son to us, and we have loved 
him. The Invisible Supreme send his messenger of peace to 
guard thee on thy journey, my husband and my prince ; and to 
bring thee back in safety. 

Thus this noble and guileless pair parted for awhile, com- 
mitting each other to the care of Him who watcheth over all. 

Youseph, the son of a deceased cousin of Prince Nakeeb, of 
Adiabene, had inherited the office of chief of the shipbuilding, 
fishing and trading association of the towns situated on the Lake 
of Gennesseret. He was known as Youseph Pandar, or Bandar, 
to designate his office as chief, or president of the association. 
The word Pandar, or Bandar, signifies in the Arabic or Aramaic 
an emporium, harbor, trading town, a resort of foreign merchants. 
Youseph PandaPs father, a Median noble, had also been a pros- 
elyte to Judaism. Youseph was wealthy, and through his posi- 
tion as President of the Lake Trading Association he possessed 
great influence and was held in great respect. He was brave, 
upright and courageous, trusting in God and the final triumph 
of right and truth, and never swerving from duty through fear of 
man. But at the same time he was prudent and wise, as it be- 
hoves every brave and good man to be. 

When Joachim arrived in Parthia he consulted a venerable 
Median Magian and prince, the trusted and faithful friend of his 
father, a man justly renowned for wisdom, integrity and piety. The 
old sage had not seen Joachim for many years ; not since he had 
succumbed to Judaising influence. In vain had he then tried to 
dissuade the young man from taking the final step. But Prince 


24 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Nakeeb, young, enthusiastic and credulous, at that time replied 
that the Hebrews had received special revelations from the Deity, 
with the promise of a Messiah who should rule the earth. The 
Sage had argued and said : My son, your assertion is not the 
result of observation nor of research, but simply the repetition of 
the lesson taught you by Judaism. The Hebrews, as wanderers, 
were truly favored, and perchance chosen from among the dark 
races of the earth to receive light from our forefathers, and from 
the Egyptians. But their original religion was an assortment of 
foreign practices and superstitions. These, to a certain extent, 
were suppressed by Meshu, the Egyptian, who labored forty 
years in trying to awaken and cultivate a spiritual intelligence 
and life in them. But the carnality of the race was not trans- 
formed. For, at the end of his days, Meshu exclaimed: ‘‘ Forty 
years long was I grieved with this generation, but they are a 
people that do err in their hearts, and they have not learned my 
ways.” Later, when the Hebrew Confederacy w^as destroyed by 
our Assyrian Kings, and its people dispersed among us, their 
religious beliefs and practices were much purified by the influences 
of our spiritual monotheistic creed and teachings. Every race, 
as well as every individual, to whom the opportunity is granted 
to associate with and learn of an intelligence and development 
more spiritual and higher than its own, is certainly favored and 
chosen from among those of its own level, to receive a revelation 
of light from the Invisible Supreme. In this manner, my son, 
were the original Hebrews chosen from the other dark races to 
receive the light which they could not evolve from their own 
inv/ard consciousness. And here is the great difference ! We, 
the children of Light, have evolved the little we know from the 
light within us, which Ormuzd imparted to us in our creation. 
The Hebrews received what light they have from us, and from 
the Egyptians. They simply adapted our records, prayers and 
hymns, but did not improve them bv the rnaledictions upon all 


OUR LADY OF GRACE. 25 

Gentiles, with which they interpolated our sacred and secular 
literature. 

But Nakeeb, like many other Aryans, had been fascinated by 
the assertions of Judaism, that direct visual and oral communica- 
tion had for centuries been established between the Invisible 
Supreme and its racial priesthood, through the medium of a con- 
centrated glowing light and a voice; neither of which was ever 
seen or heard unatached from an ark, carefully concealed and 
guarded from public investigation. 

Therefore now, as the Sage listened to Joachim’s history of his 
life among the peculiar people with whom he had voluntarily 
cast his lot, he wondered whether all the twenty years should be 
counted as wasted life for two noble natures ; whether the fates 
would yet save them from the great error of their lives; or was 
it perchance the Supreme Himself who would overrule this evil, 
to bring out of it some great good. 

After listening attentively, and asking some pertinent questions 
the sage said: Nakeeb, my son, my heart is sore for thee. Thy 
trouble and sorrow spring from error and ignorance, and not be- 
cause the Almighty is wroth with thee, as thou hast been led to 
believe. The Supreme hath ordained certain laws for the man- 
agement and development of his creation; and because these laws 
are the wisest and most effective, they are unchangeable. Were 
He in the habit of altering them, it would be proof direct that the 
laws were imperfect, and were being tested as to their efficacy 
and usefulness in different circumstances. Our knowledge o*f the 
laws of nature is exceedingly limited ; and phenomena which we 
are apt to regard as miraculous, as inexorable fate, or as special 
demonstrations of the wrath or favor of the Supreme, may be, and 
probably are, the results of the working of these wise laws in 
perfect harmony with each other. But if through ignorance, in- 
advertence or self-will, we transgress the laws of our being, there 
comes discord, not of the laws, but in our own lives and ex- 
perience, whether mental, physical or spiritual. 


26 


lESAT NASSAR. 


What! exclaimed Joachim. Would you intimate that of- 
ferings and prayers to the Almighty God would not avail to 
influence Him for, or against us? 

If you bring your offering as purchase money for some ben- 
efit you desire and cannot otherwise obtain, then it is simply 
foolish : for the universe is the property of the Creator. How 
then can you purchase favors from Him ? If you bring an of- 
fering as an atonement for wrong done to your fellow man, you 
insult the Infinite Justice by expecting to bribe Him to overlook 
your transgression. If your offering be a thanksgiving, then my 
son beware that your offering entail not sorrow or suffering on 
any of God’s creatures, no matter how insignificant or helpless 
that creature be. Otherwise your offering is an abomination in 
His sight, and a degrading of your moral nature. Praise and 
thanks are always due to the Supreme; but prayer which is a re- 
quest must be made with understanding. If the granting of our 
petition v/ould necessitate any derangement of the laws of nature, 
such prayer is foolish. But, since our knowledge of derangement 
and harmony of such laws is limited, we must pray the Infinite 
Intelligence to enlighten us, that we may make our requests with 
wisdom. Thus, like well trained children, will we gradually 
develop our reasoning powers, and be guarded from expecting 
that for which we had no right to ask, and will not receive. 

Your words are words of wisdom, my teacher and friend, said 
Joachim; and I trust that I sin not in feeling my soul more 
satisfied with your words than with all the sacrifices and invoca- 
tions made at the Temple of Jerusalem. The Princess and I 
have prayed much, that if no offspring be granted us the cause 
of our childless state may be revealed. The reasons given by 
the Jewish priests are not only repugnant, but also nonconvincing. 
What would you advise ? 

What other means, besides prayer and consulting the Jewish 
oracles, have you used to find the cause and remedy ? 

None, answered Joachim. For surely when we have prayed 


OUR LADY OF GRACE. 27 

and inquired of the Lord through His chosen priesthood, we must 
wait and obey. 

The grand old sage drew himself up, and his fine eyes flashed, 
as he said : If the chosen priesthood were less greedy of gain 
and self-ease, and instead of occupying their time and intellect to 
devise methods how to keep the people in slavish ignorance and 
themselves in luxurious power, were to study the art of healing 
the sick, relieving the oppressed, educating the ignorant to be- 
come self helpful and self reliant, then indeed would they be the 
ministers of the Supreme. My Son, when you ask the blessing 
of the Creator upon your flocks and herds, or the produce of 
your lands, you do not in the least neglect to watch and labor 
for the results you desire. When you invoke the protection of 
the Almighty on your journey, you are none the less accompanied 
by an armed, faithful and competent guard. The Supreme Cre- 
ator never did, and never will do that for us, which we can do 
for ourselves, or for each other. Else why should He have en- 
dowed us with intelligence, reason and ability, and filled the 
earth with all manner of good, but crude material, which neces- 
sitates intelligent handling to evolve things of utility or of beauty. 
You and Princess Grapte come of ancestry which have been 
physically and morally healthy for many generations. Therefore 
your childless state is probably the result of some slight derange- 
ment of normal physical conditions. My advice to you is that 
you consult the physician Shuman Khan, my friend, whose wife, 
Ywissa, is famous for her skill in the treatment of women’s ail- 
ments. The Princess is not past the age of child bearing, and 
therefore will the wise Ywissa travel with thee into Galilee, and 
take charge of her until the blessing of the Creator crown her 
efforts, and thy wife bear thee a child. 

May thy words, oh friend of my father, be acceptable to the 
Most High! exclaimed Joachim fervently, and here I renew my 
vow, that if the Supreme grant us son or daughter, we will dedi- 
cate the child to His service, 


28 


lESAT NASSAR. 


A VOW, said the sage, must be made with understanding. All 
children ought to be dedicated to, and trained in the service of, 
the Invisible Supreme ; for thus would the followers of Ormuzd 
speedily triumph. But we have no right to force any pro- 
fession upon our children without consulting their inclinations, 
and studying their abilities. If ye desire that your offspring shall 
spend its life in the service of the Most High, teach it all wisdom, 
and train it in all practices that ^v^ll enable it to live a life of use- 
fulness to the human race, and of happiness for itself and others. 
To insure this, select worthy teachers and companions; and if 
ye will not commit its training to our order of Magi, as ye should 
do, seeing your child will be a prince," or princess of Kharax and. 
Adiabene, then entrust the charge of its education to those of us, 
who have cast in their lot with the Essen es. Also, as soon as I 
get word from Ywissa, that there is cause, I will cast the horo- 
scope of thy child, and inform thee what will befall it during its 
days upon earth. But beware that ye deprive not your offspring 
of the light of such learning as we possess. Confine not its edu- 
cation to the superstitions and pernicious doctrines of the creed 
which teaches that doubt and the desire for research are tempta- 
tions of Ahriman, the Evil One, lest ye retard the revelation of 
Ormuzd, the Good. For if the Almighty grant you offspring in 
in the present state of your minds, the child will not be conceived 
by the spirit of natural desire alone, but will be procreated by 
parents who will receive and rear such gifts of God in the right 
spirit. And through such godly offspring are the children of men 
brought nearer to the All Father. 

Oh that Ormuzd, the Good, may be made manifest in our 
day, replied Nakeeb reverently, and reveal to us all light 
and wisdom which we need to save us from our errors. 

Amen, my Son, said the aged Magian ; but ever bear in 
mind that Ormuzd will reveal unto us only that which we can- 
not discern by our own unaided efforts, 


OUR lady of grace. 


59 

Receiving the benediction of the Sage, Joachim made pre- 
paration for a speedy return to Galilee. Trusty and swift mes- 
sengers were dispatched to carry the good news to Anna, while 
a faithful guard accompanied the wise woman, Ywissa, who set 
out on her mission without delay. 

There was great rejoicing in the household of the Prince in 
Galilee, when news came of his speedy return. A company of 
his clansmen and retainers, who had always contemptuously re- 
jected all the proselytizing advances of Judaism, when they 
learned of the ban placed on their chieftain by the High Priest, 
had banded themselves to avenge their lord’s honor by publicly 
slaying that ecclesiastic. But the gentle Anna laid her com- 
mands on them to do no one harm. For, said she, your lord 
hath done no man wrong, and therefore the curse causeless can- 
not harm him, even though uttered by the High Priest. 

Science and medicine rightly applied, resulted in restoring 
normal physical conditions ; and when a year had passed after 
their happy and hoj^eful reunion, a daughter was born to Prince 
Nakeeb of Adiabene and Princess Grapte of Kharax, otherwise 
Joachim and Anna. This new princess and heiress of two royal 
families was named Marya, which signifies : Our Lady of Grace 
from the Lord. 

Enemies may strive to injure, Satan all his arts employ ; 

God will turn what seems to harm us, Into everlasting joy. 

Lo the promised day is breaking. See its glorious light appear, 

Angel notes are softly stealing. On the morning’s wakeful ear. 

Hark! they float around and near us. Holy strains of peace and love. 

Falling on the listening spirit. From the happy world above. 

Marya Queen of truth and graces, Is by all enthroned here. 

Sovereign of the best and purest, Brightest of the good and fair. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. II. Also pages of same, 

523. 543 > 559 . 560, 563- 


1£SAT NASSAR. 


3 ^ 


CHAPTER III. 


BLESSED ABOVE WOMEN. 

There was great rejoicing in the household, and among the 
clans of Joachim and Anna when the birth of the Princess 
Marya was announced. Open house was kept, and entertain- 
ment provided for all, whether friends or strangers, who came 
to the palace to offer their good wishes for the little lady. 
Money and food were distributed among the poor and the 
prisoners. Also a general holiday was observed by the clans- 
people and the retainers on the estates, with good cheer for all 
at the expense of their chief and chieftainess. 

On the day of naming the child, Joachim presented costly 
gifts to the Temple, and the High Priest blessed him with much 
unction and in a loud voice. 

When the heiress was a year old, Joachim and Anna gave a 
great banquet at the Palace Grapte, to which were invited the 
chief priests and rulers of Jerusalem, as also a great feast for all 
the people who would come to partake of it. Some of the dig- 
nitaries, while diffuse in expressions of good will for their hosts 
and the heiress, were bitterly disappointed at heart. This little 
maid of royal lineage by both father and mother, was heiress, not 
only to vast wealth, but might, in the course of time and muta- 
bility of events, succeed to the throne of any or several of the 
reigning monarchs to whom she was related. Had the child but 
been a boy, he could have been sealed to Israel by circumcision, 
surrounded by Jewish educational influence and trainers from 
earliest infancy, and confirmed as a member of the congregation 
at the age of thirteen, according to the usages of the Jewish 
people. He could finally and irrevocably have been secured by 
marriage with the daughter of some Jewish dignitary. 

Conversing on this subject, and all its possibilities for the 


feLESSED above WOmeM. 3f 

welfare of Israel, the High Priest, Simon, son of Boethus, and 
his two confidential associates, grew wroth. 

With our secret and well nigh unlimited power we could 
have set an heir on the thrones of Parthia and Adiabene, and 
defied, if not altogether humbled, the power of Rome. We 
might, yea we might have made a Messiah out of an heir ! ex- 
claimed the High Priest. 

But, said Rabbi Simon Iscariot, how could Messiah come of 
Gentiles ? Is it not written that he shall be a son of David ? 

Oh, friend Simon Iscariot, answered the High Priest, thou art 
verily as simple as a Gentile. Knowest thou not that son of 
David is but a title by which we express an idea, the meaning of 
which is plain to the knowing ones. However, as thou art de- 
voted and true to our common cause, know therefore that any 
king, prince or potentate who, by force of arms, or any other 
means, shall conquer or subjugate to our rule, spiritual and 
temporal, the nations of the world, will be the Messiah of Israel. 
It matters not if he be of Gentile race so long as he serveth Israel 
in her mission of conquest. Such an one will be the true Son of 
David in spirit. For like as King David subjugated the tribes of 
the original inhabitants of Canaan to the house of Judah, so 
shall Messiah conquer the world for Israel. 

But can we not use this maid for the interest of Israel, if she 
should live to grow up ? questioned Simon Iscariot. 

It is impossible to exercise the same vigilance. May a black 
fate overtake the daughter with the parents; as also all the 
proselytes, and especially the Essenes. They kept the expecta- 
tion of the birth of a child so secret, that when it became known 
unto us, it was too late to interfere, since they had already ap- 
pointed nurses and teachers for it. I verily believe that the 
proselytes deal in the mighty magic of their Wise Men, unknown 
to us. Else how could this man and woman, barren for twenty 
years, now beget a child ? 

Since the little maid hath surely been begotten through the 


3 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


magical arts of the wise woman Ywissa, said Rabbi Simon Is- 
cariot, she will live to forsake the law of the God of Jacob, and 
return to the faith of her fathers and her race. Then will all our 
labor have been in vain, in that we persuaded her mother, the 
Princess Grapte, to dedicate her palace and riches unto the Tem- 
ple of the Lord ; especially, if the maid shall espouse some Gem 
tile prince who loveth not our nation. 

Alas ! sighed Rabbi Seth Boo Yohanan, who had not yet 
spoken ; I have at all times observed that the children of 
wealthy, charitable and pious gayrim (proselytes) are often pos- 
sessed of a devil which giveth them no rest, but urgeth and 
driveth them continually to spy and pry into the mysteries of 
our holy religion. They will not, like their righteous parents, 
accept our teachings without doubts and subtle questions, as to 
the place and date that our laws were given unto us. They set 
themselves up for competent judges, and say that King Melechi- 
sadek was priest of the Most High God of heaven and earth 
when our ancestor, Abram the Hebrew, practiced heathen rites 
and offered human sacrifice. Also that murder and adultery 
were regarded as crimes by the laws of Egypt and Palestine 
when Abraham and Isaac passed their wives off as their sisters, 
and v/hen Moses killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 
They trace the existence of such laws even to earlier ages, and 
inquire why Cain should have been afraid of the death penalty 
for having murdered Abel, if human society had not already for- 
mulated laws to punish the crime of murder. Also, how could 
Joseph have arrested his brother, Benjamin, for stealing his cup, 
if the crime of theft was not punishable by the laws of Egypt. 
Wherefore, then, say they, was there any need for the Deity to 
make special manifestations and revelations to the Hebrews of 
laws which were in force among the Philistines, and Egyptians, 
and Canaanites, and Persians, and Assyrians, and which our 
forefathers were bound to respect when they sojourned there. 
But yet more blasphemously irreverant are some of them. For 


BLESSED ABOVE WOMEN. 


33 


yea, verily, I have heard one of them remark, that if it was true 
that Yaveh did himself give us the ten holy commandments on 
Sinai, that indicated that we were lower than any nation on 
earth, even lower than the wild Ethiopians, who themselves 
make such laws, because they are necessary for the safety and 
welfare of the individuals of the tribe. One son of perdition 
from India asserted that while the apes allow their children to 
steal from men they will not permit them to rob each other; 
and he argued that therefore we could not have been as ad- 
vanced as the beasts that perish in that respect. These accursed 
children of proselytes become mockers when they learn to ob- 
serve and compare times and seasons ; and the art of computa- 
tion becometh iniquity in their mouths, and a stumbling block to 
our common people. 

May the generation of the Gentiles be rooted out, exclaimed 
the High Priest, irritably. W ell have our holy men forbidden us 
to initiate the proselytes or their children and descendants, unto 
the third or fourth generation; and some of them not till the 
tenth, as it is written : Of the Egyptian and Edomite the chil- 

dren of the third generation, that is born unto them, shall enter 
into the assembly of the Lord. But an Amonite and a Moabite 
shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord, even to the tenth 
generation shall none of them enter into the assembly of the 
Lord forever.” I have a presentiment that this maid will prove 
an evil fate unto us, for I had a vision concerning her. 

Reveal unto us what thou hast seen, said Rabbi Seth Boo 
Yohanan, who had a great reputation as an interpreter of 
dreams, visions and signs. 

By this time, the three men had reached the Palace of the 
High Priest, and he invited these two colleagues to enter and 
hear the account of his dream. After they were seated in a 
private room the High Priest began. My mind had been much 
troubled about this plague of Israel, the proselytes in general, 
and the sect of the Essenes in particular, who, with great skill, 


3 


34 


lESAT NASSAR. 


have evaded all our pious labors to mingle and merge them into 
the house of Judah. They are rebellious and hold together. 
Therefore, to soothe the disquiet of my spirit, after the necessary 
preparation, I invoked the name of our heavenly patroness, and 
cast about in our sacred writings for a passage which should re- 
veal unto me what fate should befall this daughter of royal pros- 
elytes. I received for answer this passage: ‘‘The stranger that 
is in the midst of thee shall mount up above thee higher and 
higher, and thou shalt come down lower and lower. He shall be 
the head, and thou shalt be the tail.” 

Klias ve Shalom ! Oh may safety not fail to us from such a 
lot! Ya makh Shemon va zakhrom il Gayr I i. e,, May the name 
and memory of the proselyte be defamed and obliterated I ex- 
claimed the trio with uplifted hands and paling faces. 

Amen, and eternal life to Israel, added the High Priest. 
But the end is not yet. Listen now to my vision. Feeling as- 
sured that, in some manner, the adversary had bewitched my 
hands to find that passage, I laid aside the scroll, and retired to 
my sleeping chamber. After pronouncing a blessing on Israel 
and a malediction on the Gentiles, I slept in peace. When I 
awoke I perceived the morning star shining through the window, 
and knew that the dawn was nigh. Its brightness carried my 
thoughts to speculate upon the lot of any one who should be 
born when its influence was in the ascendant. I suddenly 
thought of the daughter of Joachim and Anna, and wondered 
what the Magi of Parthia and Adiabene had learned from her 
horoscope which they must have cast at, or soon after, her birth. 
After this, whether I slept again and dreamed or beheld a vision 
in a trance, I know not. But I saw that this child, the Princess 
Marya, of Kharax and Adiabene, had grown into an exceedingly 
beautiful maiden. She seemed to float between earth and 
heaven; and in all space around her it was neither light nor 
dark; but as it were a twilight. On her head was a crown of 
stars, and she seemed to be clothed with sunlight, while the 


BLESSED ABOVE WOMEN. 


35 


Moon was under her feet. As I gazed and wondered, I noticed 
that she held the orb of the Sun in her arms, and that it gradu- 
ally changed into the semblance of a male child, who, in my 
vision, I knew was to be her son. Beams of light around his 
head formed themselves into the words : King of Kings, Lord 
of Lords. Then I saw the great serpent Avhose head hath horns, 
and whose tail casteth down the stars from the heights of 
heaven into the dust of the earth coming towards this woman of 
the Sun with her child, to swallow them up. 

The two listeners spoke eagerly, and Avith lowered voices: 
Yea, yea, but what sawest thou later ? Was the Sun child des- 
troyed ? 

Nay, it was not destroyed. And this is the part of the vision 
which hath troubled me. At the approach of the Great Serpent 
the Sun child developed rapidly into a full grown man ; from 
whom sunlight emanated, spreading and filling all space. He 
raised his right hand on high, and in a voice which echoed 
through heaven and earth, proclaimed : God is Light. And in 
Him, and around Him is no darkness at all. When he had ut- 
tered these words, the Moon began to fade away until it vanished. 
But the Great Serpent raised its head and rushed forward to 
strike. At first I believed that it succeeded; for there was a 
fierce battle between the two. Then I again heard the voice of 
the Sun Man, saying: Perish thou, who by thy subtlety hast 
led men astray and captive ; representing thyself as the mouth- 
piece of the Invisible Supreme. The light proceeding from the 
Sun Man then burned brighter and fiercer until the Universe be- 
came one blaze of dazzling glory, with the Sun Man as the cen- 
tral figure. 

What, what befel the Great Serpent ? inquired Rabbi Seth 
Boo Yohanan ? 

It fought the fight Avell ; with fangs and horns and tail; with 
craft and with force. But the fierce scorching light finally over- 
powered it. It writhed and shrivelled up, and was finally con- 




lESAT NASSAR. 


sumed to ashes that were scattered abroad. Then the voice oi^ 
the Sun Man was again heard like unto the sound of the music 
of approaching legions, as he proclaimed : I am the Light of the 
World! And as the noise of many waters, the nations of the 
earth answered : Hail and Blessed be he who hath come unto 
us in the name of the Invisible Supreme. Upon this I awoke 
^ with fear and trembling ; and behold it was already day, and the 
first beams of the sun were shining upon my eyes through the 
eastern window. 

Dreams and visions that come to us at the dawning of the 
day are surely fulfilled, according to the sayings of the wise men, 
remarked Rabbi Simon Iscariot. 

Thus it is believed, answered the High Priest. But what 
sayest thou. Oh Rabbi Seth; who, as Joseph and Daniel of old 
hast been unto us a revealer of the secrets of visions and dreams 
of the night. Of what doth this dream or vision warn us ? 

Besides being a Cabalist of note. Rabbi Seth was skilled in 
the arts of judicial astrology, sorcery and necromancy, with incan- 
tations appropriate to all such sciences. As an interpreter of 
dreams, visions, signs and portents he had not his equal in 
Judaea. Therefore, after a few minutes of impressive silence, 
during which, to his auditors, he seemed to be seeking for inspi- 
ration, Rabbi Seth spoke. 

Thy vision signifteth that the maid born to these royal prose- 
lytes will live to grow up to womanhood. That she will inherit 
many thrones, or that many kingdoms will do her honor, is fore- 
shadowed by the crown of stars. Her clothing of sunlight beto- 
keneth that she is a daughter of kings and rulers of the children 
of the sun. The Moon under her feet, signifieth that her lot may 
peradventure be cast so, that while queen of the Gentiles she will 
have dominion over Israel. She is destined to be the mother of 
one who will be great, exceeding great. King of Kings is a 
title not even the Caesars dare assume, but the kings of Parthia 
only. The son which this Princess Marya, of Kharax and Adi- 


BLESSED ABOVE WOMEN. 


37 


abene sAall bring forth will surely be called to rule by the great 
rival power of Rome. The light which thou sawest proceeded 
from him until it filled all space is the wisdom that he will teach 
and his fame which will be spread abroad. But this is not well 
for us. Because twilight, and mysteries and shadows are our 
main stays in keeping the common people and the proselytes 
faithful to Judaism. Therefore, if this vision was not caused by 
some Gentile magician, we must beware that the generation of 
the proselytes be not suffered to prevail unless they work in our 
interests. Ya Makh Shemom va Zakhrom! May their name 
and memory be defamed and obliterated. 

But if the Fates decree against the Moon and the Horned Ser- 
pent, what can we do ? inquired the High Priest with a troubled 
look. 

Rabbi Seth’s face wore a smile of pitying contempt, as he re- 
plied: Thou, oh Son ofBoethus, wert appointed High Priest by 
that son of proselytes, Herod, because he loved thy daughter, 
and took her to wife. Thou wert not chosen by the priests of 
Israel, who would have called one competent to be a leader; one 
through whose wisdom and sanctity the Urim and Thumim, and 
peradventure even the Shekhenah itself, might have been restored 
to the Temple of Jerusalem. Therefore, thou devinest not the 
inmost secret of the name and mission of Israel. But since thou 
hast been accounted worthy to receive the warning contained in 
thy dream, know now, that danger threateneth us. Also, bear in 
mind that the doctrine of the unchangeability of the decrees of 
fate is one of the means whereby we manage the common people 
and such learned men to whom it is not given to understand the 
subtleties of the speech of wise men. Israel can change the de- 
crees of Heaven itself if the rabbis of the House of Jacob be but 
at unity among themselves, and the hosts of Israel unquestion- 
ingly obedient unto our commands. Therefore it is written: 
“ Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to 
dwell together in unity.” 


iSSAT NASSAU. 


3S 


I acknowledge thee as a fountain of knowledge and wisdom, 
and would that I could have sat at thy feet to learn the holy 
laws as interpreted by our elders. But thou knowest that we of 
Egypt have not such wise men among us to interpret the tradi- 
tions with thy skill, even though the blessed Shekhenah abideth 
with us. Therefore have I sought counsel of thee in this matter. 

While Rabbi Seth was flattered by the High Priest’s tribute 
to his superiority in subtle argument and traditional lore, at the 
same , time he felt bitter, because of the allusion to the fact of the 
Shekhenah having been removed to Egypt, and which he under- 
stood to be an intimation of the greater sanctity, or else practical 
ability of their ecclesiastical rivals in Egypt. He therefore 
frowned slightly, but made no reply. 

Rabbi Simon Iscariot, desiring to keep peace and good will 
between his friends, as well as to render good service to the cause 
of the house of Jacob, had been stroking his beard as he listened 
thoughtfully and attentively to the words of these great rabbis. 
He now looked up cheerfully, as though he had suddenly solved 
a difficult problem. 

My Lord High Priest, he said. It is an easy matter for you 
to make this crooked matter straight. Your daughter, Mariamne, 
is now the beloved wife of the King, and hath borne him a son, 
whom ye have named Herod after his father. May he be great, 
and deliver Israel. Betroth this your grandson to the daughter 
of these royal proselytes, and by the aid of the God of Israel 
they shall live to sit on many thrones, and to exalt the house of 
Jacob. 

The heart of Simon, son of Boethus, seemed to bound for joy 
within him; but he feared to manifest his pleasure at such a 
prospect. Therefore he replied gravely, but affably. Tliou art 
a faithful friend and a kind counsellor, oh Rabbi Simon Iscariot. 
But these proselytes are of the house and lineage of many and 
powerful kings, and may regard with scorn an alliance with the 
son of my daughter. True, Glaphyra, daughter of the King of 


BLESSED Above women. 


39 


Cappadocia, and cousin of these royal proselytes, was married to 
the son of Mariamne of the Asmoneans. But what sayest thou 
to this proposition of our friend Simon Iscariot, oh Rabbi Seth? 

Rabbi Seth had furtively watched the two men. Simon 
Iscariot’s words had opened to him a vista of the greatest pos- 
sibilities for the aggrandisement of his own family. But he dis- 
sembled skillfully as he replied : The words of our brother, Simon, 
are rather the counsel of love and devotion than the advice of 
a man of deep understanding. Yet there is much wisdom in 
what he saith, although a lack of caution. It is true, that the 
King of Cappadocia gave his daughter in marriage to a son of 
King Herod’s wife, Mariamne, daughter of the Jewish High 
Priest, Hyrcanus. But the Asmoneans have been acknowledged 
as priests and princes of the Jews by the Gentile monarchs since 
the days of Simon and Johnathan, the brothers of Judas Macca- 
beus. Thus the righteous Queen Helena, of Adiabene, is con- 
nected by marriage with the Asmoneans. But thy daughter 
hath, as it were, usurped the place of the daughter of the As- 
moneans; and thou ministerest in the office which that family 
had come to regard as a heritage. Thou wilt need subtle wisdom 
in thy dealings when thou wilt aspire to mate thy grandson with 
the daughter of royal families of Kharax and Adiabene. Let 
us be patient, and above all things, beware not to offend by un- 
seemly haste in such a matter. 

To himself. Rabbi Seth said: Why not my own son, Yohanan ? 
And then he added: It shall be so; for perseverence in Jacob 
hath, before this, changed the decrees of the Gods, and why not 
now ? I have recommended patience to the son of Boethus, but 
I will use diligence and perseverance; and my son Yohanan 
shall marry this Marya, descendant of Gentile kings. Well have 
we recorded her name as Amary, in secret; for she is indeed a 
bitterness of spirit unto us. 

The three men parted, each pledging his word to help the 
other out of any difficulty which tlie future might bring through 


4-0 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the birth of this girl. But the only one who was sincere in his 
promise was Simon Iscariot. The other two lied deliberately, 
each having determined to work for his own interests; and 
both trusted that they had excited no suspicion nor distrust in 
the minds of the others. So they went their ways to plan and 
to work. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. III. Also pages of same, 
543^ S44, 5^3- 


THE VIRGIN NAMED MARY. 


41 


CHAPTER IV. 


THE VIRGIN NAMED MARY. 

The wise woman, Ywissa, had elected to live with the Princess 
Grapte till the little Marya should be weaned ; and no mother, 
however devoted, could have tended her child better than did 
Ywissa the little lady whom she had been instrumental in bring- 
ing into the world. Nurses, attendants and tutors had all been 
carefully selected from the sect of the Essenes; but Ywissa never 
relaxed her vigilant watch over them in all things which con- 
cerned the child. This little one, born after so many years of 
pious prayer, was possessed of a gentle, affectionate, loveable 
disposition, and a very discerning soul. At a tender age, the 
little maid observed persons and things with an intelligent, in- 
quiring expression in her large blue eyes. She early took notice 
of the actions and words of those around her, and remembered 
them, as was proved by her delicate, but correct instinct or dis- 
crimination which never mistook the self-interested flatterer for 
loyal friend. This characteristic afforded amusement, and also 
excited the wonder of her parents and attendants. 

Having been dedicated to the service of God before her 
birth, Marya was formally presented in the Temple Court at the 
age of three on which occasion her parents gave many costly 
gifts to that sanctuary and its priests; as well as much alms to 
the poor. 

Prince Nakeeb and Princess Grapte, or Joachim and Anna, 
did not live to see their only child grow up, but died within a 
short period of each other; and Marya was left a ward of the 
Temple, under the personal guardianship of her cousins, the 
Queen Helena and Lady Trywa, daughter of a noble Greek 
family, and widow of Prince Nakeeb’s deceased cousin. None 
of these, however, had authority to make any changes in the 


42 


lEsAT Nassau. 


tutors, or manner of education chosen by her parents for the 
Lady Marya. Ywissa had promised Princess Grapte, on her 
deathbed, to live with Marya till she married. That portion of 
Prince Nakeeb’s property which was entailed in the male line 
passed to the next of kin. To his daughter and only child, he 
bequeathed a million denars in gold, much valuable personal 
property, with lands and houses in Galilee. He also bequeathed 
much money and property to the Temple at Jerusalem, and for 
charity. But they who had charge of those things grumbled, 
saying : he hath not given according to his means. With the ex- 
ception of rich bequests to the Temple and for charities, the 
property of Princess Grapte became the inheritance of her 
daughter Marya, and her direct descendants; but failing such, 
all that vast wealth, palaces, houses, lands, fields and vineyards, 
would pass into the possession of the Temple of Jerusalem. 

To intelligent observers, the child Marya seemed to be Im- 
maculate. An innate cleanness of soul made vulgarity and false- 
ness repugnant to her. She never was known to be refractory or 
peevish; but was possessed of a sweet temper; a happy child, 
who was never quite satisfied unless all around her were equally 
glad : to promote which, she was always, not only willing, but 
even eager to practice every self-denial. She had natural re- 
ligious instincts, and loved prayers, and the singing of sacred 
hymns; not of penitential gloom, but such as were expressions 
of loving trust, reverence and praise, of the Creator, the All 
Father. When she could comprehend that she had been dedi- 
cated to the service of the Almighty, she replied joyfully, I am 
so glad, because I love Him. Her good tutors, fearing that she 
was not duly impressed with the awful attributes of the Supreme, 
tried to make her realize a dread of his wrath, by recounting 
what they believed to be instances of his vengence upon human- 
ity. At such times an expression of perplexity would come into 
her beautiful sapphire blue eyes, and a deep penetrating look, as 
though Marya saw what to others was not visible. But she 


MEi ViRGiN NAMED MARY. 43 

never spoke until one day, when pressed for her opinion, she 
answered earnestly : I will live so as not to offend the Invisible 
Supreme; because I love him for all his great and manifold 
goodness. I could not live if I was only to fear. They v/ere 
good conscientious men and women who had the charge of 
Marya’s education and training; but they did not understand 
her. 

The High Priest Simon son of Boethus, and Rabbi Seth Boo 
Yohanan, were two of the trustees of Marya’s inheritance. They 
therefore had many opportunities to cultivate and gain her con- 
fidence in themselves, and her favor for the son and grandson, 
who each had secretly decided was to become her husband, and 
possess her fortune. However, neither seemed to succeed; for 
to all their speeches regarding her marriage Marya had but one 
answer : My parents dedicated me to the service of God. I have 
learned of the Essenes, and of my own free will and choice I 
elect not to marry, but to consecrate my powers of mind, soul 
and body, as also my wealth to instruct the ignorant, succor the 
oppressed and needy, and seek the wanderers and comfort those 
in sorrow. 

The High Priest offered to inquire of the oracle of the God 
of the Hebrews, if such a choice were not sin in Israel from which 
she could be absolved by special offerings made to the Temple. 
When she refused such mediation in her behalf, he did chide her 
in a fatherly manner for introducing a strange custom, which 
would be a stumblingblock to the increase of Israel, and a rock 
of offense to the sons of Judah. So Simon, son of Boethus, 
labored in vain ; and at the same time Rabbi Seth never failed 
to carry any tale to the noble maiden, which could place the 
daughter of the High Priest or her son. Prince Herod, in an un- 
favorable light. Of his own son, Yohanan, he always had a fund 
of marvellous stories about the young man’s alleged great right- 
eousness, wisdom and filial piety. 

But neither advice, rebuke nor flattery, availed these men. 


44 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Very graciously, but very firmly, Marya refused to consider the 
subject of marriage. Then they importuned Queen Helena for 
her good offices in the matter. That lady exhausted her powers 
of argument and reproof on her young cousin, for presuming to 
oppose her own judgment to the counsel of such righteous men 
of Israel; but it availed not. And as by the laws and customs 
of their race and clans Marya, a princess of Kharax and Adia- 
bene, could not be coerced into marriage, Queen Helena had no 
power to render further assistance to these elders of the Jews. 

In the mean time the age of release drew near when the Lady 
Marya would no longer be in subjection to her guardians, but in- 
dependent mistress of her own property and actions. She looked 
forward with much pleasure to being free to live, as much as she 
pleased, with her aunt the Lady Trywa, a woman of rare intelli- 
gence, goodness of heart and nobility of character. Only to this 
aunt who had not embraced Judaism, and to her daughter Sal- 
ome, could Marya speak without reserve of her longings and 
aspirations ; and they fully sympathized with her, and shared her 
feelings. In the presence and companionship of her cousin 
Queen Helena, Marya ever felt strangely overpowered and sup- 
pressed. Naturally of a domineering disposition, Helena had 
been indulged in all caprices by her parents, and later by her 
husband, on account of her beauty, and also latent self-will 
which they found easier to indulge than to curb. Yet she had 
many fine qualities which would have made her a good and noble 
woman, had they but been rightly cultivated. Helena was in- 
telligent, shrewd, generous and very religiously inclined ; but that 
which in Marya was loving reverence for Infinite Goodness, took 
in Helena the form of respectful awe for a power she could not 
understand. As a child she took a solemn delight in reading the 
sacred writings, most of which she could quote correctly, numer- 
ous and varied, and sometimes contradictory though they were. 
Such exercises Helena performed with an expression of stern and 
self-satisfied melancholy on her beautiful face. However, to her 


THE VIRGIN NAMED MARY. 


45 


fond parents and the average public, all this was evidence of rare 
youthful piety and learning. So the child was constantly praised, 
and held up as an example to be emulated by other children. 
Her intellect was neither logical nor analytical; but with a 
memory receptive and retentive, Helena’s acquirements became 
those of the quoting kind, which invariably grow dictatorial. 
So the Queen Helena, even as a child, constituted her little self 
a dictator on religious subjects to her family and dependents. 
It mattered very little to the girl, whether the company consisted 
of greybeards or children. If the conversation only turned on 
religious subjects, and if the opinions expressed differed from her 
own standard of belief, she instantly broke in with the preface : 
But it is written in such a holy book, and in such a passage. 

This impolite habit, which in other instances was sternly 
checked, was in such cases attributed to a wonderful pious zeal. 
Thus an eager and insatiable hunger for universal approval grad- 
ually developed Helena into a woman who became a pliable tool 
in the hands of those who were shrewd and unscrupulous enough 
to see and profit by her weak point. The firmly rooted convic- 
tion of her own extraordinary piety, combined with the opportu- 
nities of her rank and great influence, finally made of this queen 
a subtle, dangerous and implacable foe, to any one who ventured 
to contradict her, thwart her in any matter she desired to ac- 
complish, or to expose as fraudulent those who had gained her 
favor by attributing to her an abnormal amount of religious and 
intellectual qualities. 

These characteristics of her guardian and royal kinswoman, 
and the unceasing intrigues and rivalries which encompassed her 
through the most impressionable years of her life, caused the 
Lady Marya to develop into the self-reliant, reticent maiden and 
woman, of whom it was said and recorded, that ‘‘she observed 
all these things, and kept and pondered them in her heart.” 

The day that Marya attained the age of legal freedom was 
celebrated by a banquet at the Palace Grapte. The Queen 


46 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Helena and the Lady Tryvva sent invitations to the chief priests, 
rulers, elders and princes of Jerusalem. Herod the Great him- 
self, although much disturbed by domestic troubles at the lime, 
was present to do honor to these royal friends and connections. 
His beloved queen, Mariamne II. with her son, Herod, and her 
father, the High Priest, also gladly graced the occasion. ]\Ien 
and women of high degree, of wealth and of learning, gathered 
in the spacious palace, where the best musicians, fragrant flowers 
and rich dainties contributed to the entertainment and enjoyment 
of the invited guests. 

Rabbi Seth, with his wife Leah and his son Yohanan, had 
often taken counsel with each other regarding the means by 
which Marya should be brought to become the wdfe of Yohanan. 
But w’hen they were bidden to the celebration, they agreed upon 
the necessity of decisive and speedy action. Also, that since all 
other means had failed, guile was the only weapon left them. 

The Jewish law allowed two modes of betrothal. The regu- 
lar one was performed in the presence of the prescribed number 
of legal witnesses, relatives and friends. Solemn promises were 
exchanged, a contract of conditions written and signed wdth due 
formalities, the statutory cup of wine w'as tasted by the be- 
trothed man and woman, and the binding benediction was pro- 
nounced. In cases, however, where secrecy, guile or coercion 
were indispensible to the successful accomplishment of the be- 
trothal, the would-be bridegroom, personally, or by deputy, 
handed a piece of money, or a written document, to the woman 
he desired to marry. At the same time, he repeated a formula 
which expressly stated that by this means he espoused her. 
Two male witnesses quickly recited the binding benediction, and 
the deed was done. From the moment of such betrothal, called 
Mekadesh, both parties were regarded and treated, by Jewish 
law, as actually married, although not living together. Neither 
could ever be free from the other, except by a regular di\'orce. 
If the woman married another person without having first re- 


THE VIRGIN NAMED MARY. 


47 


ceivecl a divorce from the man who had thus espoused her, her 
children by such marriage were counted illegitimate, their rights 
of inheritance nullified, and she herself was not counted a wife. 

The family of Rabbi Seth decided to entrap the Lady Marya 
into such a betrothal with Yohanan, and the festivities in honor 
of her coming of age were regarded as favorable for affording 
some opportunity to Yohanan to accomplish his design. Accus- 
tomed from infancy to have all sorts of petitions placed in her 
hands, the Lady Marya would not suspect the nature of the 
document until the fatal words had been uttered, to render the 
espousal legal and irrevocable. 

And no divorce will she ever get from me, said Yohanan, I 
am no fool to allow such wealth and chances for sovereignty 
to escape me. 

By Jewish law the woman could not divorce the man, no 
matter what his crimes or her injuries. The next indispensable 
arrangement was to obtain two trusty men as witnesses of the 
deed. Jacob Levi, a cousin of Leah, and a vicious youth, had 
joined a gang of robbers that committed depredations in the 
country districts of Galilee under the guise of zealots and 
patriots. This youth, unscrupulous and cruel, was a great ad- 
mirer of Yohanan, and ever ready to commit any outrage which 
Yohanan was too wary to do himself. Personally, he was not 
much known in the city of Jerusalem, and consequently Rabbi 
Seth, with his wife and son, decided to send for him without 
delay. 

But whom should they trust to be the other witness ? The 
prize which they coveted was so stupendous that they feared to 
speak of their plan even to their most trusted friends and rela- 
tives in Jerusalem. For once in hiS life Rabbi Seth regretted 
and disapproved of the Jewish law, which said: ‘‘A woman 
shall not be allowed as evidence.” Otherwise, his wife, Leah, 
could have secured the services of several women who were under 
her influence or in her power. 


48 


lESAT NASSAR. 


But Still I can aid you greatly by watching for opportunity 
to address the maiden privately ; or to draw her apart from the 
crowd 'to some room where we shall not be disturbed or pre- 
vented in our worthy design, said Leah. 

Thou art my own beloved wife and a worthy daughter of 
Leah, the wife of our father, Jacob, exclaimed Rabbi Seth, with 
a smile of fond approval at his helpmate. We must, however, 
get as second witness some man of good social standing ; for we 
could hardly take two obscure strangers with us into the palace 
among the guests. 

Request Rabbi Simon Iscariot to perform that service for 
us as a great favor, said Leah. He surely hath been bidden and 
will understand the opportunity when it presenteth itself. 

I fear to trust him, mother, for his speech is ever of Herod, 
the grandson of Simon of Boethus, when he talketh of the es- 
pousals of this daughter of the proselyte princes, answered 
Yohanan. 

At this moment a servant entered, and said : The messenger 
of Rabbi Iscariot is without, and bringeth word that his master 
cometh to salute this household. 

Say unto him that his lord is hail and welcome, indeed, 
answered Rabbi Seth. When the servant had left the room, he 
turned to his wife and son, saying : This is fortune, indeed. 
But I will try him with searching questions before we speak 
openly of the matter. 

After the usual salutations, they discussed the coming ban- 
quet and the guests who probably would be invited. 

Your counsel to the High Priest, to marry his grandson to 
the Lady Marya, hath not yet been productive of success, said 
Rabbi Seth to Simon Iscariot. 

Alas, I fear not, replied Rabbi Simon; and all because the 
soul of this righteous but foolish maiden longeth for the vain de- 
lusions of the heathen, in that her choice is to live unmarried. 
Though I marvel not at it ; for do not the Essenes still retain 


the virgin named MARY. 


49 


their heathen practices and faith, in that they despise our funda- 
mental doctrines of bloody sacrifices and marriage as indispen- 
sable to holiness and righteousness of life. I fear much that our 
good High Priest erred when he laid the curse on Joachim, be- 
cause of his childless state ; for by that act he drove those royal 
proselytes into close communion with these stiff-necked Essenes. 

But, remarked Leah, methinks that a prince like Herod, son 
of so great a king, and grandson of the High Priest, should not i 
be modestly waiting for a maid’s consent, even though she be 
of royal lineage, but should secure her by boldness. Wherefore 
doth he not espouse her by Mekadesh betrothal without her 
consent ? 

Rabbi Seth and Yohanan turned somewhat pale. They be- 
lieved it to be very indiscreet of Leah to m.ake such a speech. 
But a certain expression in her eyes reassured them that her 
words had been well weighed, though seeming so artless and 
friendly to Herod. 

Rabbi Simon fell into the trap. What ! he exclaimed, think 
you that Herod the Great would permit his son to offer violence 
to a princess of Kharax and Adiabene ? Nay verily, but he 
would slay him with his own hand for such misdeed. The King 
who ever dealeth strict and incorruptable justice in the cause of 
even the weakest and meanest, would certainly not suffer his own 
son to wrong a maid of royal lineage. Besides, who would dare 
to act as witnesses to such a bold deed. Surely not Simon of 
Boethus, even if he could approve of it ; for hath he not the 
Asmonean Hyreanus and his daughter Mariamne as examples of ‘ 
what Herod the Great can do, if too sorely tried. Nay, my 
good friend Leah, if the Lady Marya espouse not the Prince 
Herod willingly, he must be content to marry some other 
maiden. 

Your words are ever full of truth and wisdom, answered 
Leah, and I did but speak foolishly as a woman. It is well 
known that Herod the King doth favor his sons by the Idumean 


4 


lESAT NASSAU. 


SO 

and Samaritan wives more than the children begotten to him by 
daugliters of Israel. 

You err somewhat, good friend, for the daughter of Simon of 
Boethus is greatly beloved by the King, and he hath named her 
son to succeed him in the kingdom with Antipater his firstborn. 
As for the sons of Mariamne, the Asmonean, we all know that 
they plot ceaselessly against their father, and taunt him with the 
murder of their mother. If Herod erred in that execution, he 
also bitterly repented of the deed; for his remorse well nigh 
caused his death. Therefore the young men, to whom he hath 
been most kind and indulgent, should be more prudent in their 
speech and actions. But speaking of them remindeth me that 
as I came hither I met their kinsman dressed in brave attire, like 
an Arabian chieftain, and carrying himself as boldly as if his 
family was not outlawed. I fear that his presence in the city is 
not for peace, and that he is leagued with Alexander and Aris- 
tobulus in their last intrigue. 

Of whom do you speak. Rabbi? asked Yohanan. Surely 
Bar Abas hath not ventured to walk in the streets of Jerusalem 
by day ! He should be more circumspect. 

I warned him that it might go ill with him if King Herod got 
knowledge of his presence. But he laughed, and said that the 
King knew not that he even existed; that they who were 
acquainted with him in the city were but few, and could be relied 
upon to swear, if need be, that he was not Bar Abas at all, but 
quite another person. 

Where doth he lodge, and where can one have speech of 
him ? 

Surely thou wouldst not betray the lad ? replied Simon 
Iscariot uneasily. I repent that I spoke of him, but I thought 
you were friends. 

Fear not, said Yohanan, we are inseparable companions when 
I go beyond Jordan to collect the rents and produce tax on our 
lands. 


TH^ virgin named MArV. 5t 

Well, I knew not that, seeing thou art so peaceable and 
lovest to study the law while he is restless, bold, and I suspect 
already experienced in deeds of violence. But if thou hast need 
of him, thou mayest hear of him at the house of Alexander’s 
herdsman, who lodgeth in Siloam and pastureth the sheep on the 
other side of Scopus. Harm him not, for he is but a lad and 
foolish. Who can tell but that he will yet obtain wisdom, and 
become a righteous man like his grandfather. Boo Abas, of the 
Asmoneans. 

Let not thy mind be troubled, Rabbi; for I would at this 
time rather lose ten thousand shekels than that the smallest harm 
come to Bar Abas. 

I understand, said Rabbi Simon now quite reassured. Thou 
hast need of his services, and therefore I know he is safe with 
thee. 

When the visitor had departed, the three looked at each other 
with infinite admiration and approval. They needed no expla- 
nations, for they had perfectly understood each other. But in the 
fulness of her heart, Leah exclaimed : Blessed art thou, my son, 
who hast such wisdom as David the son of Jesse, when he won 
the heart and secured the good services of Jonathan the son of 
Saul. Surely, thy father and I have cause to rejoice this day. 

With such wives as thou, my Leah, and such sons as our 
Yohanan, shall the dominion of the house of Israel be established 
over the nations, said Rabbi Seth, while he raised his hands as 
though in benediction over his wife and son. 

Bar Abas, with his bold black eyes, swarthy skin, lusty, vig- 
orous frame and aggressive bearing would be certain to attract 
attention, and perhaps suspicion in such company as would 
assemble at the palace. It was therefore planned that Bar Abas 
and Jacob be introduced as the sons of an old friend, a merchant 
in Arabia, on their first visit to the Holy City. The young men, 
when consulted, had gladly consented. To guard against pos- 
sible recognition they had their hair cut and trimmed after the 

1 




lESAT NASSAU. 


Roman fashion, and exchanged their Arabian garb for city cos- 
tume. As the two youths admired their own appearance in a 
mirror, Bar Abas swore that even his own followers would not 
recognize him were they to meet him. The bribe promised to 
this lad was no less than an ethnarchy in time to come, as well 
as much gold immediately, if what they conspired to do .should 
succeed. To Jacob was promised the captaincy of Yohanan’s 
private band of assassins disguised as zealots. 

Rabbi Simon Iscariot, walking homeward, thought of the 
covert sneer of Rabbi Seth regarding his advice to tlie High 
Priest, and his anger was gradually aroused. We know not what 
a day may bring forth, so he need not mock me, said the Rabbi 
to himself. 

Just then he caught sight of Simon of Boethus coming out of 
the Tower of Antonio with his grandson, and stayed his steps to 
salute them and to repeat the conversation at the house of Rabbi 
Seth, in hopes that it might perchance rouse the young Herod to 
greater diligence in seeking to win the Lady Marya. But he 
said naught of Bar Abas, seeing tliat Simon of Boethus could not 
be expected to feel any love for the Asmoneans. When they 
parted, the High Priest said to his grandson : Herod, Rabbi 
Simon is a righteous man, and faithful unto us ; but beware what 
thou speakest in his hearing, for he is one of those fools who 
understand not subtle words, and cannot judge of the con- 
sequences that may happen by repeating what he hears. 

Sir, replied Herod, I will look after Yohanan and his father, 
and do thou counsel my mother to watch Leah on the night of 
the banquet at the palace. If the Lady Marya will not espouse 
me, she shall not be entangled by the snares of that family. 

Thou art a good lad, replied Simon Boethus, and may the 
Almighty grant thee yet to sit on the seat of kings in time to 
come. 

See Appendix corresponding chap. IV. Also pages 560, 

563- 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


S3 


I 

CHAPTER V. 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 

When ready to proceed to the palace on the day of the ban- 
quet, Rabbi Seth gave the writing of the espousal to Yohanan, 
and blessed him, saying : Even as Jacob, our ancestor, went from 
his father’s house with a staff, and returned in possession of the 
riches of Laban, the Syrian, so also, by virtue of this writing of 
Mekadesh betrothal, do thou, my son, return unto thy father’s 
house as the possessor and heir of the riches of the royal pros- 
elytes of Kharax and Adiabene. 

Then spoke Leah : And even as our Father Jacob bought 
the birthright of Edom for a mess of pottage, so do thou also 
purchase the birthright of heirs of the thrones of Parthia and 
Adiabene with the sacred shekel of the Sanctuary which I 
placed within the written parchment before thy righteous father 
sealed it. 

So may it be, answered Yohanan, and here, like our Father 
Jacob, I also vow, that if my work prosper this night I will give 
as korban, unto the Temple of the God of Israel, a tenth of the 
inheritance into which I shall enter, by virtne of this writing of 
espousal. 

But — but my son, be not rash with thy vows ! Let not thy 
mouth utter hasty words ! Remember that the tenth will be 
great riches, tremblingly interposed Leah. 

Oh woman! Be not troubled! said Rabbi Seth soothingly. 
The vow of them who study the traditions and doctrines of the 
elders, is not as the vow of the common people who know not 
the interpretations of our wise men. When the learned man 
saith : I will give the tenth, it but signifieth : I will dedicate as 
much as is considered right according to the traditions pf our 
wise mpn. 


54 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Bar Abas and Jacob were duly presented to their hosts at 
the palace as the sons of an old friend, and visitors of Rabbi 
Seth. Being duly impressed with the gravity of the situation, 
and the importance of the success of their undertaking, they were 
circumspect ; and in^stead of their usual bold manner, conducted 
themselves with modesty and deference. 

Although proselytes to the Jewish creed, the family of Queen 
Helena retained the customs of their own people and of their 
exalted rank, which did not allow the mingling of men with wo- 
men at a banquet. Therefore, as the Lady Marya’s nearest male 
relative, Youseph Bandar did the honors of the host to the male 
guests, while Queen Helena with the Ladies Trywa, Marya and 
Salome, received and entertained the women. But as the guests 
of the occasion were either relatives of the family, or the families 
of the rulers and chief priests of J erusalem who were on terms of 
friendly acquaintance with the royal proselytes, the men were 
admitted to pay their respects, and offer their good wishes to 
their hostesses in the audience chamber, after the banquet. 

When the guests had well-nigh all departed, Leah, watchful 
for the opportunity, espied Marya and Salome alone in one of 
the reception chambers. She quickly entered, and addressing 
Marya, said : Gracious Lady, I know it is not seemly for me 
to trouble you at this hour. But a righteous and generous 
deed is better if performed on a day when we are exalted to in- 
dependent power over great possessions as your highness is this 
day. Knowing therefore your great goodness and kindness of 
heart I make bold to ask you to receive from my son, Yohanan, 
a petition which he vowed to deliver to-day into your generous 
hands only. We have not approached your highness with it 
earlier, because of the many guests. But the case is urgent, and 
we know that your generosity is averse to allowing sufferings to 
be prolonged, which you can relieve. We also heard that your 
highness will depart from the city in the morning. 

Marya had always instinctively recoiled from all flattery. 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


55 


But she experienced an undefined dread of the laudations of 
Rabbi Seth and his family, I journey not tomorrow, she replied 
with quiet dignity. But if the petition is urgent, and your son 
promised the suppliant to deliver it unto us this day, bid him 
bring it without delay, for it groweth late. 

Queen Mariamne, warned by her father, tarried in conver- 
sation with the Queen Helena, though ever watchful of Leah. 
When she saw the woman come out into the great hall, and ap- 
proach Rabbi Seth and Yohanan who stood apart with Bar Abas, 
she rose saying : I must now take leave of our beloved Lady 
Marya Avhom I see in yonder apartment. Entering, she smi- 
lingly addressed both maidens : Against whose peace do ye con- 
spire, ye lilies of the Sun ? Is the wife of the wise Rabbi Seth 
one of the council, or will ye that her husband read your fates by 
the Stars or in sacred books this night ? 

Dear Lady, said Salome, It is not of our own fortunes that 
we are to hear, but of some who are in distress, and a petition 
from whom that pious young man. Rabbi Yohanan, hath pro- 
mised to deliver into the hands of my cousin, this day. 

Perchance I can aid in this affair, if only with advice. There- 
fore, with your permission, I will stay and learn about this case 
of affliction. x\nd the beautiful Mariamne laid her hand cares- 
singly on Marya’s arms. 

Your highness knows that we have often taken counsel with 
you ; because as the daughter of the High Priest and the wife of 
the King, you must needs be a better judge than I of the state 
and needs of the people. We therefore thank you for your pres- 
ent courtesy. 

At this moment Rabbi Seth entered with Yohanan, closely 
followed by Leah with J acob and Bar Abas. F or an instant, father 
and son seemed disconcerted, and frowned on seeing that Queen 
Mariamne was present. But quickly approaching the Lady 
Marya, Yohanan said, as he tendered a document: Maryam, 
thou daughter of Joachim and Anna, the royal proselytes, who 


lESAT NASSAR. 


S6 

among the Gentiles art Marya, Princess of Kharax and Adia- 
bene, I have sworn to deliver this writing unto thy hands, and I 
hereby — 

Receive it not! said Queen Mariamne, quickly seizing 
Marya’s right hand, which she had extended to take the docu- 
ment. Thou art being basely deceived. For this is no petition, 
but a writing of espousal, from which thou wilt not be able to 
free thyself, except by a divorce given thee by this Yohanan. 

There was no need to doubt the assertion of Queen Mari- 
amne, for Yohanan, grown desperate, was endeavoring to thrust 
the document into Marya’s hands and rapidly repeating the words 
which should make such betrothal binding. Rabbi Seth, Jacob 
and Bar Abas, were at the same time quickly muttering the for- 
mula and betrothal benediction assigned to them as the legal 
necessary witnesses. 

But the Lady Marya, with the light of righteous wrath flash- 
ing from her eyes, quickly put her hands behind her, and in tones 
of dignified anger and royal command, said ; Hold your peace, 
and shame on you, oh house of Rabbi Seth, to come here with 
guile and deceitful words to entangle me in your snares. But it 
will not avail you. For, from this day, I desire never more to 
hold communication with any of you, nor to receive you again 
to my presence. Then turning to Queen Mariamne, she said: 
Come with me dear friend, into the audience chamber, where I 
perceive some of our honorable guests await to take leave of us. 

Rabbi Seth whispered to his wife and son that it would be 
better to leave the palace quietly and immediately, because some 
of the principal guests, who were Essenes, had not departed ; 
and he added : The generation of the Gentiles may cause our 
son trouble for his righteous zeal, in that he tried to save the 
heiress to the house of Judah. Looking round, they saw that 
Bar Abas had already disappeared. The young man had noticed 
that Queen Mariamne and her son Herod had regarded him 
with a searching, questioning look that evening. When, through 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


57 


her interference, Yohanan had failed to accomplish his design, 
Bar Abas said to himself : That woman, Mariamne, knew all 
about the plot. Though, how she discovered it, is a mystery. 
She must be a witch, and once aroused, she will set spies on me, 
and they will hunt me down and take me in their toils. Then 
farewell to all hopes of restoration to the throne for the As- 
moneans. 

Thus ended the festivities of that eventful day. None of 
those who had witnessed the bold attempt of Rabbi Seth’s family 
to secure the heiress spoke of the circumstance to the Queen 
Helena, not desiring to enter into a discussion of the matter 
with her before they had consulted among themselves. For they 
were all aware that Helena greatly favored Rabbi Seth, his wife 
and son, believing them to be very pious and righteous people. 
But Marya, with the Lady Trywa, Salome, and the faithful 
Ywissa, sat in earnest, secret council in the private apartments 
for several hours after Queen Helena had returned to her own 
palace. 

During the forenoon of the following day, Rabbi Seth and 
his Leah presented themselves at the palace of Queen Helena, 
and requested an audience with that lady, on the plea of having 
an affair of importance to communicate which could not be con- 
veyed by letter or message. Consequently, they were admitted, 
and Helena received them in one of the private apartments, 
where the Queen’s old nurse and a young maid were the only 
attendants present. Like all Semites, Rabbi Seth and Leah first 
talked on every conceivable subject, except the business which 
had brought them, until the Queen finally wearied of answering 
their eager inquiries after the Lady Marya, and listening to their 
comments on her cousin’s many virtues, determined to shorten 
their ill-timed visit, and ascertain the nature of the business 
which had brought them. She was sufficiently acquainted with 
the Semite etiquette to know that all the extravagant laudations 


58 


lESAT NASSAR, 


• were but introductory to some request that Seth and Leah had 
to make, and which concerned the Lady Mary a. 

Rabbi, said Helena, we understand that you requested an 
audience of us on matters of important business. We travel 
northward this night, and have many affairs which claim our 
attention before our departure. Our servants also await our or- 
ders ; therefore our time is short. 

Gracious, righteous Queen, replied Rabbi Seth, bowing his 
head and spreading his hands; it is evident that the Lady Marya 
hath not yet made known to your Highness the honor she con- 
ferred upon my son, Yohanan, yesterday. 

A slight frown was visible upon the forehead of the royal 
lady, as she said : We know not of what you speak. Rabbi, for 
our cousin hath not spoken to us, either of you or your son ; for 
being nov/ of age she hath the right to independent action. 

Seth and Leah perceived that Helena knew naught of what 
had transpired; and that they would have the chance to give 
their own version of the affair, and thus gain her support, in case 
the Lady Marya refused to consider the claim they were deter- 
mined to make on her, as the mekadesh betrothed wife of 
Yohanan. 

Ah, gracious and generous Queen, spoke Leah, I marvel 
greatly that the Lady Marya did not, without delay, make known 
so important a matter to you, who, although so young yourself, 
have been more than a mother to her. But, being a maiden, 
she may, perchance, have been too modest to speak yesterday; 
though it would have been easier for us if she had remembered 
her duty to your Grace. 

Do us the favor to speak plainly concerning this affair of our 
cousin, that we may understand what you desire; for we have 
utterly failed to interpret your riddles. Queen Helena was angry 
with Marya, whose reticence she felt had placed her at a disad- 
vantage. But she was still more annoyed by these people’s 
manner of approaching the subject. At the same time she won- 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 59 

dered, with impatient curiosity, what the girl could have done to 
keep secret from her. 

Finally with many pious ejaculations and .nterminable 
phrases, in which self-abnegation was strangely mixed with self- 
laudation, Rabbi Seth and Leah, speaking in turn, and some- 
times together, succeeded in conveying to Helena, Queen of 
Adiabene, that her cousin, the Lady Marya, a member of the 
families of succession to two thrones, and an heiress to vast 
wealth, was espoused to their son, Yohanan, the preceding 
night. 

Queen Helena was exceedingly angry; but there was no 
outward sign of the inward struggle, except by the deepened 
delicate rose bloom on her face and a brighter light in her pretty 
eyes. The girl must be possessed or mad, thought Helena. A 
princess of Kharax and Adiabene to betroth herself after the 
manner of some ignorant, shameless and stiff-necked daughter of 
the common people, whose parents approve not of her lover. It 
was a terrible outrage of all the customs and traditions of their 
royal families, where such matters had always been conducted 
with self-respect, honor, dignity, and prescribed order. To her 
guests, however, Helena spoke with courtesy, although in tones 
studiously calm and cold, as she inquired what they expected 
of her. 

Most gracious and righteous Queen : since by our holy re- 
ligion a maid thus betrothed must be married within the year, 
we pray your Highness that the day for the public marriage cere- 
mony be appointed without delay, answered Rabbi Seth and 
Leah togetner. 

I have no authority to speak in this matter at all, since our 
cousin hath not made us acquainted with her intentions towards 
your family. Therefore, you but waste time here, and must in- 
quire her pleasure in person, or otherwise. 

But it is not seemly for us to intrude upon a maiden with 
such speech, pleaded Leah, and we therefore most respectfully 


6o 


lESAT NASSAR. 


beseech your majesty to inquire for us of the Lady Marya, con* 
cerning the time when she will condescend to make the heart of 
our son rejoice. 

Helena’s anger now overcome by curiosity, induced her to 
offer to send the Lady Marya notice of their presence in her 
palace, and to request a visit from her at her pleasure. But we 
can do no more for you, except permit you to await the answer 
our cousin will send us, in the waiting room of our palace, she 
said impatiently to the couple. 

This was the signal for the confidential maid to summon an 
attendant to escort Seth and Leah from the Queen’s presence. 
The Rabbi and his wife would have preferred to utilize the wait- 
ing time in arguments which should incline Helena to bring re- 
ligious pressure to bear upon Marya. But they could not with- 
out injuring their own case, importune the Queen after her very 
decided intimation that the audience was at an end. 

When the door had closed upon the pair, Helena remarked 
to her old faithful nurse: You will no longer disagree with me 
when I say that my cousin is subtle and secretive ; though I 
must confess that I would not have believed what we have just 
heard if it were told me by any others than this righteous man 
and his pious wife. How Marya’s self-respect could suffer her 
to bring such disgrace on us and on her father’s house I cannot 
understand. 

Beloved Lady, answered the old woman. That you have 
not been informed of some event is evident; but that does not 
prove that the Lady Marya has done any wrong, or that this 
Rabbi Seth and his wife have spoken the truth. On the contrary, 
I feel assured that they have told a number of wicked lies. 
I have always despised that family as self-interested flatterers; 
but I now know them for base, unscrupulous and dangerous per- 
sons, against whose machinations no one can be too well guarded; 
Alas! alas! And a curse on the day when the parents of my 
Lady Marya forsook the faith of their fathers, and left their only 


YOuSEPtt And mArva. 


6i 


child, that gentle dove, exposed to the attacks of such serpents 
as that man with his wife and son. 

Thou hast always misjudged the holy nation, because they 
worship not the Deity. But I have forbidden thee to speak 
against the holy religion in my presence, said Helena impatiently. 

I spake not against any religion at all; but simply of Rabbi 
Seth and his wife and son, whose religion seemeth to be the ac- 
quisition of riches and of power, by all means, whether fair or 
foul. 

Helena’s mind, never logical, was inclined unconsciously to 
conceive a dislike for any person who ventured to differ from her 
expressed opinions. She either was not capable of sustaining 
an argument, or conceit prevented her ever admitting that she 
could possibly have been mistaken. But as the old woman was 
one of a family whose members had for generations faithfully 
served her ancestors, she had sufficient grace not to resent her 
plain speech more than by saying: Dear Nurse, I knowhow 
solicitous you are for our welfare. But I trust that your eyes 
may yet be opened to see the true inward goodness of the 
righteous Rabbi and his pious wife. To which the old woman 
replied by a groan of hopeless contempt. 

The messenger soon returned with the tidings that the Lady 
Marya, the Lady Trywa with her son and daughter, and the 
Essene Elder, Simeon, with the Prophetess Anna, were on their 
way to salute the queen. Helena summoned her steward, and 
bade him conduct her relatives into the private council chamber 
as soon as they should arrive. She also bade him to give strict 
orders to the guards, that no one be admitted into the palace 
that day on any pretext, as she would receive neither visitors 
nor petitioners. 

What shall we say to the Rabbi Seth and his wife who still 
tarry in the waiting room, my Lady, asked the steward. 

They may still wait if they desire to do so : but hinder them 
not if they depart. 


^2 


lESAT NAsSAR. 


After much anxious thought and deliberation Marya had de- 
cided to accompany her aunt, the Lady Trywa, to Nazareth, and 
thus avoid the importunities of her many unwelcome suitors in 
Jerusalem; as also to secure protection from the machinations 
of such people as Rabbi Seth’s family. As both ladies were pre- 
paring to visit Queen Helena, for the purpose of acquainting her 
with this plan and with the event of the preceding night, the 
messenger from Helena brought a letter which read : 

To our beloved cousin Marya, Greeting. The Rabbi Seth, 
and his wife, Leah, urgently requested an audience of us to-day. 
They informed us of a strange event, which they vow happened 
yesterday, and which concerns you, our Cousin. They desired 
us to name a day for the final settlement of the transaction ; but 
seeing that you, our Cousin, have not acquainted us with the 
business of which they spoke, we referred them to you for the 
information they desired. They told us that they hesitated to be 
so bold as to address you personally on so delicate a matter, and 
besought us to receive your command and make it known unto 
them. They await your pleasure in our palace. What will you 
that I say unto them? 

Your kinswoman,. 

Helena. 

Marya immediately showed the epistle to her aunt and to the 
faithful Ywissa. The two women consulted, and sent one of the 
pages to summon Youseph Pandar who was about the palace, 
giving the steward, retainers and servants directions and orders 
for the care of the premises during the absence of their mistress. 
When the Lady Trywa had informed her son of all that had 
happened, and showed him Helena’s letter, he said : It is well 
that our Elders, Simeon and Anna are our guests at this time. 
Let us take their advice in this matter, for Rabbi Seth, with his 
wife and son are full of guile and deceit, and who can tell what 
crafty snares they may spread after such bold audacity as they 
have already manifested. 


VOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


63 


The Lord Simeon was one of the elders of the Essenes, 
whose principal place of residence was at Jerusalem, where also 
lived his sister, Anna the Prophetess. Both devoted their time 
and wealth to the care and education of the young, the instruc- 
tion of the ignorant, and in relieving the wants of the sick and 
needy. As members of the nobility of Assyria, they had, in 
early life been educated by the Magi; and their learning, wis- 
dom and unaffected piety gave them great influence among the 
Essenes, and also with the Roman authorities. They were soon 
told of the conduct of Rabbi Seth and his family, and Helena’s 
letter to Marya was given them to read. 

I judge by this letter of our kinswoman that Seth and his 
wife have represented our Marya as betrothed to their son, 
Yohanan said Anna; and Queen Helena is justly offended that 
such an agreement should have been made without her knowl- 
edge, since there could be no possible reason either for secrecy 
or such unseemly haste. What sayest thou. Brother Simeon ? 

There can be no other interpretation of the epistle, answered 
'the Elder. It is now our duty to visit the Queen, and reveal unto 
her the truth of the matter. It may be that her eyes will be 
opened to see how wicked is that family whom she counts as 
holy. Should Rabbi Seth speak lies concerning this matter in 
our presence, as I verily believe he will do, then we must pray 
the Queen Mariamne to give us her testimony. Our Salome 
shall also go with us as a witness. Let us now pray that the In- 
visible Supreme be with us in our councils, and confound the 
machinations of the evil doers. 

Accompanied by a train of retainers, and preceded by a mes- 
senger, the Lady Marya, with her friends went to tlie palace of 
the Queen Helena who received her kinsfolk with affection, and 
Simeon and Anna with respectful cordiality ; although in matters 
of religion she regarded the Essenes as half heathen, because 
they would not accept unreservedly the creed of Judaism. 

When the company were seated, the Elder said : Dear Lady 


64 


lESAT NASCAR. 


and kinswoman : is it your pleasure to relate to us what the 
Rabbi Seth and his wife have spoken to you this day, and thus 
caused you to write the letter received by our Marya, or shall 
we make known to you how they abused the hospitality and 
honor shown them at the palace yesterday ? 

I pray you first to tell us how our hospitality was abused, 
oh Reverend Sir, replied Helena. 

Then shall our daughters in the faith speak first. Marya will 
relate what befel her, and Salome shall inform us of that she saw 
with her own eyes, and the words she heard with her ears. 

Not a word was uttered by the assembled company while the 
two noble maidens spoke of the events of the past day. Helena 
seemed to have been struck dumb with amazement ; for she said 
nothing, even when her young kinswomen had finished their tale. 

The Prophetess Anna broke the silence. Dear Lady and 
kinswoman, she said, gently addressing Helena. Be pleased now 
to relate to us what the Rabbi Seth and his wife said to you this 
day ; and what is the meaning of their desire for a day to be 
named for the final settlement ? 

It seemeth marvellous and strange to me, after hearing the 
testimony of you, my cousins, that Rabbi Seth and his wife 
should mistake refusal for consent, since they verily believe that 
our Marya is willing to marry their son, replied Helena. Then* 
she related the story as Seth and Leah had told it that morning. 
It was a series of misrepresentations and falsehoods throughout ; 
and when Helena had demanded a reason for their having 
brought a writing of espousal, when they had been invited to a 
friendly gathering, they had explained and excused such haste 
in Yohanan on the grounds of his great love for the Lady Marya 
which, said his parents, had rendered him almost insane, and 
induced him always to carry the document about him with the 
hope that the Lady Marya might perchance be suddenly moved 
by a generous impulse to accept it. Seth and Leah had also 
carefully impressed upon Helena that, according to Jewish law, 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


6s 


the Lady Marya was virtually the wife of Yohanan, as such 
betrothal could be annulled only by a divorce. But at the same 
time they had begged that this private espousal should prove no 
hinderance to the performance of a public celebration of betrothal 
and marriage which should accord with the rank and wealth of 
the Lady Marya, and her kinswoman and guardian, the Queen 
Helena. 

The Lady Trywa’s eyes flashed the light that is born of 
righteous anger and unmitigated contempt, as she said : Such 
crafty falsifiers are the most dangerous kind of people ; for they 
are skilled enough in perversion and misrepresentation to make 
the crooked appear straight, and the dark as light. But as the 
matter is far more serious than we believed possible when we 
received your letter, dear Queen and cousin, I, as the mother of 
Marya’s nearest male relative in her father’s house, advise that 
these people be made to understand that they cannot force a 
princess of Kharax and Adiabene into marriage against her will; 
even though the man claims to be a descendant of David, King 
of a confederacy of tribes called Benni Israel. Neither will King 
Herod, nor the High Priest countenance such insult and wrong 
to be done our kinswoman. 

Helena argued that Marya ought to obey the laws of her 
religion, to which the Lady Trywa quietly replied that if the 
Queen did not protect Marya from the persecution and prepos- 
terous claims of these people, she herself, with her son Youseph, 
and daughter Salome, would accompany Marya to Adiabene and 
lay the case before King Monabazes, and if necessary appeal to 
their Suzerain of Parthia. 

This alarmed Helena, and she hastened to explain. We do not 
justify their conduct if the facts are as our young kinswomen 
have stated. But Rabbi Seth and Leah and Yohanan have a 
reputation for strict and righteous observance of religion ; and 
we ought perhaps to make allowance for the violent love, which 
the say hath possessed the young man for Qur kinswoman. Be- 

■ , 5 


66 


lESAT NASSAR. 


sides which, they affirm that they had competent and legal wit- 
nesses whom they can produce to verify their statement for our 
satisfaction. 

Sovereign Lady, said Youseph Pandar. Surely you cannot 
mean that you entertain any doubt of the truth of the statements 
made by our cousin, the Lady Marya, and our sister, the Lady 
Salome. As next of kin in her father’s family I have the legal 
right to inquire into this matter, and to protect my cousin against 
such outrage of her liberty and her rights. I demand that we 
request an audience of the Queen Mariamne, and take her testi- 
mony in the presence of qualified witnesses ; after which we shall 
be better able to judge how to deal with this family of Seth. 

Thou hast spoken well, my son, and I will even now go unto 
the palace and speak with Queen Mariamne of this matter. So 
tarry here until I return. And Simeon, the Elder, rose to 
depart. 

Recollecting that Rabbi Seth and Leah were perchance still 
waiting, Queen Helena inquired of her guests whether they 
should now be summoned. But Simeon replied: Nay, we as 
her Elder and friend, advise that these persons be not admitted 
into the presence of the Lady Marya during our absence. 

At this moment the steward presented himself to announce a 
messenger from Queen Mariamne, who brought word that that 
lady, with her father, the High Priest, desired to salute the 
Queen Helena, before her departure for the North, if she was at 
leisure to receive them. 

Helena immediately returned a message of the most cordial 
welcome, and then consulted her relatives whether it would be 
well to send to Rabbi Seth and his wife that it would be impos- 
sible to grant them further audience that day. 

Nay, said Simeon; I advise that this man and woman be 
later summoned into the presence of the High Priest and Queen 
Mariamne, when we can settle the matter of their dishonest 
claim. 


yOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


67 


Early that morning, Mariamne had sent for her father, 
acquainted him with what she had witnessed, and laughed at 
what she believed to have been a total discomfiture for the family 
of Rabbi Seth. But the High Priest shook his head doubtfully 
as he replied : Daughter, Rabbi Seth is not so easily repulsed. 
The prize is too great ; and he will overturn heaven and earth to 
seize it now that he has had the boldness to do such a deed. 
There will be great trouble and sorrow in the future for that 
maiden unless she marry some powerful prince of her own race 
who is not a proselyte to Judaism, and is intelligent enough to 
discover and defeat the wiles and snares which Seth and his 
family will practice for the injury of the Lady Marya and all be- 
longing to her. Death alone can put an end to the machinations 
of such people as Seth, Leah and Yohanan. 

Surely, father, you are too timid, and overestimate the power, 
if not the malignant desires of the Seth family. 

Daughter, I spake not of power ; but I know his guile, craft 
and subtle mode of working by inciting others against those 
whom he would injure, while he himself is to all appearances the 
very good friend of his victims. Such methods, my child, are far 
more dangerous and effective than the power and open enmity 
of a Caesar. 

Mariamne was unaffectedly glad to meet the Elder Simeon 
and Anna at all times. She gratefully realized that the Essenes 
were loyal to the administration of her husband. King Herod 
because he enforced justice, law and order, and she respected 
them for their upright lives and universal kindness. Simon 
Boethus, outside of a little professional jealousy, was also cordi- 
ally inclined towards these people. 

The Almighty surely guided your steps hither, fair and noble 
daughter, said Simeon the Elder, for I was about to seek you, 
and request an audience, when your messenger arrived. 

It would have given us much pleasure to receive your rever- 


68 


lESAT NASSAR. 


ence, Lord Simeon ; and if we can do you any service, you may 
rely upon our best endeavors. 

Since your Grace was a witness of what transpired yesterday 
evening between the family of Rabbi Seth and our daughter in 
the faith, the Lady Mary a, will you do us the favor to give us, 
her relatives and friends here assembled, an account of all that 
you saw and heard in that connection. 

Queen Mariamne rendered a clear, con Jse and straightfor- 
ward account of what she had witnessed ; and no cross-questions 
nor suggestions made by Helena could alter her testimony in the 
slightest detail. She further remarked that she had previously 
heard something which had induced her to suspect that a trap to 
entangle the Lady Marya would be set sooner or later by the 
Seth family; and on that account she had prolonged her stay on 
the previous night, having noticed that the members of that 
family, with the young men who were of their party, were inces- 
santly, though very guardedly, watching the Lady Marya’s 
movements. 

When Queen Mariamne had ended, she was informed of the 
claims made by Rabbi Seth and Leah that day, and also that 
the couple were still in the palace waiting for an answer. 

Queen Helena and the Elder Simeon inquired whether the 
High Priest and Queen Mariamne would object to have Seth 
and Leah called. Simon Boethus replied that it would be most 
advisable to summon the Rabbi and his wife, and explain to 
them that they were mistaken in thinking that their son had any 
claim whatever on the Lady Marya. 

Helena bade the chief of the eunuchs invite the Rabbi Seth 
and his wife into the presence of the Queen and her guests, if 
they were still waiting. 

Sovereign Lady, answered the eunuch, the Rabbi and his wife 
still tarry in the chamber of waiting ; and their son, the Rabbi 
Yohanan, sitteth in the gate already two hours. 

Helena looked inquiringly at her guests. 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


69 

Let the young man also be summoned into the presence of 
this company, for we have need of him, said Simeon the Elder. 

Yea, for the matter cannot be settled aright without his testi- 
mony, as also that of the necessary legal witnesses, added the 
High Priest. 

Seth, Leah and Yohanan had ascertained from the servants 
the names of the persons assembled with Queen Helena. At 
home, they had already agreed upon what they should aver in 
regard to the affair of the alleged espousal. As they met in the 
main hall, Seth had only time to whisper to Yohanan : My son, re- 
member that when thy blessed ancestor, David, had need of the 
sacred bread from Ahimelech, the priest of Nob, as also the 
sword of Goliath, he did not hesitate to tell what the common 
people call lies, whereby he obtained what he wanted. Thou 
needest now the bread of the royal proselytes and the swords of 
their heathen kinsfolk. Therefore, strengthen thy heart, and 
speak with boldness such words as shall deliver the daughter of 
the proselytes, with her possessions, into thy hands. 

And forget not, my Yohanan, that the King David was a 
mah after our God’s own heart, added Leah. 

Fear not, replied Yohanan. I have sworn to take possession 
of the riches of the Gentiles ; and a few proselyte women will 
not be able to deliver themselves out of my hands. But do you 
both bear in mind that they have no witnesses besides women, 
who, according to the laws of Israel, cannot be received as 
evidence. 

On hearing these words, an expression of fond, admiring 
pride illuminated the countenances of the parents as they were 
ushered into the presence of the noble company. 

Rabbi, said Queen Helena, after Seth, Leah and Yohanan 
were seated, we have spoken unto our kinswoman, the Lady 
Mary a, of the claims you made before us this day, and we are 
informed by her that your conduct was with guile and treachery 
toward her, your hostess, and a Princess of Kharax and Adia- 




iESAT NASSAR. 


bene. Our gracious sister, Queen Mariamne, wife of King 
Herod, and daughter of the High Priest of the Holy Sanctuary, 
hath testified to the truth of the words of our kinswoman. The 
Lady Salome, our cousin, as the other witness, confirmed the 
same. They further affirm that your son, Yohanan, did not 
succeed in placing the writing of espousal in the hands of the 
Lady Marya. Therefore, there hath been no espousal, and ye 
have greatly erred in your speech unto' me. 

Oh gracious and righteous Queen, said Seth. We deny that 
Vie practiced guile or treachery towards the noble Lady Marya. 
We could not be guilty of such misdemeanor. But we do main- 
tain that our son, Yohanan, hath espoused by mekadesh be- 
trothal, the Princess Marya, and she cannot legally marry another 
man. 

Simeon the Elder addressed the High Priest. Simon, son of 
Boethus, High Priest of Judaea: you are competent to judge 
this matter, since it is a question of the laws of the Jews. There- 
fore, as we are all here assembled, let Rabbi Seth and his wife, 
Leah, and their son, Yohanan, speak and tell us how they acted, 
and what they said yesterday in all that concerns the matter of 
espousal. You have already heard the testimony of the Lady 
Marya and her witnesses. 

Leah made it appear that she had asked and obtained per- 
mission for her son to present his document to the Lady Marya. 
And what petition can a learned and pious young man like my 
son have to make to a maid, except to obtain her consent to be- 
come his wife, she added with a sentimental look at the whole 
company. 

The three denied that Marya had rebuked them, and said 
that a little affected unwillingness was very becoming in a 
maiden. This remark angered Queen Helena so much that she 
curtly bade them remember, that since they had no knowledge 
of the manners and customs of royal and noble families of Par- 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 7t 

tbia, she would beg them to omit any remarks on what was be- 
coming or otherwise in the conduct of her royal cousin. 

When they had done speaking, the High Priest said : This 
is a difficult matter to decide. If the noble Ladies Marya and 
Salome, and my daughter, Mariamne, have spoken the words of 
truth, of which I have no doubt, there existeth neither espousal 
nor betrothal whatever between the Lady Marya and Rabbi 
Yohanan. But if the testimony of Rabbi Seth, his wife, Leah, 
and their son, Yohanan, be correct, then would the Lady Marya 
have been espoused to Yohanan, the son of Seth, of the house 
and lineage of David, the son of Jesse. 

The High Priest had spoken dispassionately. But his opinion 
had greatly angered Rabbi Seth, who, with an overbearing tone 
and manner, replied : But thou knowest full well, oh Simon 
Boethas, High Priest of the Sanctuary of the God of Jacob, that 
according to our laws women cannot be received as evidence. 

That is true; and therefore, oh learned Rabbi Seth, the testi- 
mony of your wife, Leah, is also of no avail. Rabbi Yohanan 
cannot give evidence in this case as it is his interest to possess, 
not only the noble maiden, but also her vast wealth, which you 
will do well to remember, will become the property of the Holy 
Temple if the Lady Marya bear no male heirs. Neither will 
your testimony suffice, since it is your interest that your son shall 
succeed. You are, perad venture, better acquainted with our 
laws than I am. Therefore, you are aware, that to establish 
your words, you must produce two witnesses who have naught 
to gain by speaking such words as shall verify your statements. 

We have witnesses, said Yohanan, who must even now be at 
our house ; for I sent my servants to seek them before I came 
hither some hours ago. 

Let them be brought into our presence without delay, said 
Queen Helena. We will send our own messenger to your dwell- 
ing, Rabbi Seth; and who in our name will invite your witnesses 
to come thither. For we would complete this investigation to-day. 


72 


lESAT NASSAR. 


I pray your gracious Queen to order that my follower, Fides, 
who waiteth without, be summoned; and with your permission 
we will instruct him to accompany your messenger, and bring 
us knowledge of the family and of the profession of these wit- 
nesses. For we will accept no testimony from unknown 
strangers in this matter, said Simeon the Elder. 

Rabbi Seth and family had not calculated on the possibility 
of the Lord Simeon becoming a factor in this matter. Having 
been so long accustomed to rule the proselytes aggressively and 
boldly, under the plea of keeping them to a strict and pious ob- 
servance of Jewish law and religious ritual, they had persuaded 
each other that the victory over a few highbred, royal gentle- 
women, would be a comparatively easy one ; the more especially, 
as Helena’s fanatic attachment for her adopted creed had fre- 
quently rendered her a perfectly pliable tool. 

The messengers soon returned, and with them also came 
the servants whom Yohanan had sent in quest of Bar Abas and 
Jacob, earlier in the day. These stated, that in accordance with 
their master’s instructions they had sought the young man Bar 
Sadik and his brother, but had not found them ; nor even had 
they gotten tidings of what had become of them. 

These be strange tidings, remarked the High Priest. Did 
ye not inquire when the young men would return ? 

We did, my lord, but there was no man in the house ; and the 
women reviled us, saying that we had conspired to bring trouble 
upon them by seeking for the strange young men in the absence 
of their male relatives. They swore that no strangers lodged 
there, and that they had never heard of such persons as the Bar 
Sadik and his brother whom we described and named according 
to our master’s orders. When we refused to depart, and said 
that we would await the return of the master of the house, they 
began to stone us and to call aloud to the inhabitants of Siloam 
to defend them against men who had come to bring shame upon 
them under pretence of seeking for young men in their house 


VOUSEPM AND MARYA. 


73 


while their own men were absent. Their cries quickly brought 
all the women and children of the village together ; and if we 
had not fled they would verily have slain us with the stones they 
all cast at us. 

Who is the master of the house where ye sought this Bar 
Sadik ? inquired the Elder Simeon. 

The servants hesitated, and looked at their master. The 
High Priest, and the Lord Simeon regarded each other question- 
ingly, and waited. 

Yohanan’s countenance changed a little; but he quickly 
chided the men, saying : why do ye not answer the Lord 
Simeon that it was the house of Amos, the herdsman ? Did ye 
not then seek Amos in the pastures ? 

Yea verily, and indeed we did. Rabbi. But when we found 
the flock, a stranger was tending it, who told us that Amos was 
either beyond Jordan, or in Damascus, or in Hauran; to all of 
which places he would journey before he returned. He also said 
that for two months he had tended the flock of Amos ; since 
which time he had not heard of his employer’s movements. As 
for Bar Sadik and his brother who were said to be kinsmen of 
Amos, the hireling swore that he had never heard of such youths, 
nor had he seen any such persons as we described since he had 
been with the flock. 

Here was another and very serious difficulty. Yohanan 
knew that the hireling and the women of Amos lied ; for Bar 
Abas had himself told him, that he lodged at their house at night, 
and when not in the city, met his associates in the field, while 
Amos kept watch against spies. Yohanan had also arranged for 
Jacob Levi to lodge at the same place. Evidently some great 
danger was threatening, to make bold Bar Abas hide himself so 
effectively; while the disappearance of Jacob Levi was even 
more mysterious. Yohanan was furious, but powerless. 

Perchance the youths are not willing to bear false witness, and 


74 


lESAT NASSAU. 


fear to offend you by speaking the truth, said the Elder, address- 
ing Seth and his family. 

Or else they may have divined, that to have their witness ac- 
cepted in such a case, they might be requested to produce proofs 
of identity, which might be unsafe for them to do ; and there- 
fore wisely departed without sending you word where to find 
them, remarked the High Priest. 

We shall find and produce our witnesses, said Rabbi Seth 
angrily. But at the same time we hold the Lady Marya meka- 
desh betrothed to our Son Yohanan. Neither can she marry 
any other man without a legal divorce. 

And if she marry some Essene or heathen, her offspring will 
not be legitimate, and will not inherit the property which her 
righteous parents dedicated to the Temple; but which I shall 
claim by right of my espousal to her yesterday, added Yohanan. 

Ye err greatly, my friends, replied the High Priest calmly. 
There is no betrothal of any kind. Ye are not able thus far even 
to prove that ye had any male witness at all. The evidence of 
women cannot be received according to Jewish law; and it is 
only by Jewish law that a mekadesh betrothal, did such exist, 
could profit you. You cannot even prove that the witnesses of 
whom you speak were admitted to the presence of Lady Marya; 
and even your own servants are witnesses against you ; since 
such men are not known in the place whither ye sent to 
seek them. Therefore I, by right of my office of High Priest, 
do declare that the Lady Marya is not betrothed to Yohanan, 
the son of Seth, and she is free to marry whom she will. But as 
her sincere friend, I would now take the opportunity to advise 
her to put away the desire to follow after the vain customs of 
the heathen, who permit women to dedicate their lives to virgin- 
ity; for such things do not find favor in Israel. She will there- 
fore do her duty and escape much trouble, such as she hath ex- 
perienced yesterday and to-day, if she will now choose the man 
to whom she is willing to espouse herself, so that she may be 


VOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


75 

protected from the snares which, on account of her great pos- 
sessions, men will never cease to spread for her. 

Verily, said Queen Helena. The High Priest hath spoken 
with wisdom and with friendship. So if you will not now follow 
his advice, Cousin Mary a, you will constrain us to believe the 
words of the Rabbi Seth and his family. 

Dear Queen and Cousin, replied Marya gently. We are in 
a great strait. We perceive that our honored High Priest hath 
advised us in all kindness and friendliness, and we also appreci- 
ate your anxiety on our behalf. But before we decide, permit 
us also to inquire of our Aunt, the Lady Trywa, and of our 
respected teachers and friends, the Elders Simeon and Anna, 
what they would advise us to do. 

Lady Trywa’s words were few. If the affair concerned our 
daughter Salome, she said, we would bid her follow the advice 
of the High Priest and of Queen Helena. For, dear Lady 
Marya, we see no other way for you to avoid similar trouble in 
the days to come, OljflOf 

Daughter Marya, said the prophetess Anna, we have been 
married, and we have also lived as a widow for many years. 
But in both estates we have been able to serve the Almighty, 
and also our fellow beings. 

Noble Lady and daughter in the faith, advised the Lord 
Simeon. We allow our people the liberty of choice between the 
married and the single estate, according to the dictates of their 
conscience and inclinations. But seeing what hath befallen 
you, we fear greatly, that if you elect to live unmarried, your life 
will be made a bitter bondage by the machinations of Rabbi 
Seth, his wife Leah, and their son, the Rabbi Yohanan. They 
have here said openly, that they will hunt you to obtain pos- 
session of your great inheritance. Therefore, as your Elder and 
friend, we now advise and beseech you to name the man whom 
you account worthy to protect you, in the name of the Supreme 
’ Protector of all. 


76 


lESAT NASSAR. 


For a few moments, the Lady Mary a bowed her stately head, 
and leaning her brow on her hand, shaded her eyes and thought- 
fully reviewed the circumstances of her lot. She now saw plainly, 
what she had for some time felt indefinitely, that so long as she 
remained unwedded, so long would she be surrouded by intrigues- 
Then she rose, and standing with majestic, graceful bearing, ad- 
dressed her friends : 

Dear kinsfolk, and my respected guardians and teachers. 
Since we must name our protector who shall defend us against 
our enemies, I, Marya, daughter of the Median prince Nakeeb 
of Adiabene, and Princess Grapte, of Kharax, do this day, in 
the name of the Almighty God, choose and appoint our Cousin, 
Youseph Pandar, of the family and house of our father, to be our 
natural and legal protector. Therefore, in your presence, we now 
give him our hand in token of our esteem and request. 

Youseph Pandar’s love and respect for his beautiful and noble- 
hearted cousin had been too great ever to have found adequate 
expression in words. He rose quickly, and bowing low before 
her, reverently took Maryams hand, kissed it, and laying it on his 
head, said : We are not worthy of the great honor bestowed upon 
us this day by our Lady Marya. But we will ever be her faith- 
ful servant and defender all the days of our life. So help us the 
God of our fathers. 

There was joy and there was sorrow in that assembly. The 
hearts of the Lord Simeon, the prophetess Anna, and the Ladies 
Trywa and Salome, were filled with joy, ail the greater because, 
although longed for, it was entirely unexpected. Queen Mari- 
amne and the High Priest sorrowed that their beloved Herod 
had not beeri chosen, while the Queen Helena was disappointed 
that Marya had not elected to ally herself with the families of 
King Herod the Great, and the High Priest of the Holy City, 
Such an alliance, religious and political, she later exclaimed to 
her old nurse, the foolish maiden passed by, and chose Youseph 
Pandar. But at the time Helena said : Lady Marya, You have. 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 


77 


according to the customs of our race and rank, chosen from the 
families of alliance. Therefore it only remaineth for us, your 
kinsfolk and guardians, to ratify your will by the necessary legal 
contract. Then, addressing Simeon, the Elder of the Essenes, 
and the High Priest, she requested them to perform the rites of 
betrothal before they separated. The two priests immediately 
assented that such would be the wisest and safest course. Rabbi 
Seth and Yohanan protested, and insisted that the Lady Marya 
was not free. They refused to witness the ceremony, and de- 
parted, muttering threats and maledictions on all who had 
thwarted them. 

The required number of legal witnesses were summoned, of 
Parthians, Essenes and Jews; an^ the High Priest, and Simeon 
the Elder, performed the rites of betrothal between the Lady 
Marya and Youseph Pandar. 

Thus was Mary, the mother of Jesus, espoused to Joseph. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. V. Also pages of same, 
548, 561. 

The name of the robber, Barabas, is written Bar Abas and 
Bar Abbas. 


78 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER VL 


THE SON OF GOD. 

The custom of hospitality to strangers hai> ntYct con- 
fined to any age, race or country. With the Moham^dan Arabs 
of the Orient it is still counted as one of the essential virtues, 
and is still observed by the rural and nomad population of Pal- 
estine and Arabia, as it was when Jethro, the Priest and Prince 
of Midian, rebuked his daughters because they had neglected to 
offer the hospitality of his house to Moses, the Egyptian. In 
enumerating the Christian virtues St. Paul mentions, ‘‘ given to 
hospitality,” and St. Peter recommends the elect in Jesus to ‘‘use 
hospitality one to another.” 

Arabian courtesy requires that no prying questions be put 
to the passing stranger to whom hospitality is offered about his 
family, tribal relations, religious creed Or nature of business which 
brings him that way. The guest is at liberty to give or withhold 
all such information at his own discretion. From time immem- 
orial, the rural and nomad population of Arabia and Palestine 
dedicated a place of shelter for the reception of passing strangers. 
Such a place is called a Madyafy, or Sahah, a court or building 
for hospitality to guests. If the village be large and flourishing 
the Madyafy consists of more than one room, with a paved open 
court pleasantly shaded by trees. Here also is the tomb of the 
patron saint of the village who was the original founder of the 
settlement^ and consequently the ancestor and patriarch of 
the tribe or clan. The Madyafy is situated in such a locality as 
to be easy of access, and visible to the wayfarer, no matter from 
which point he approaches the settlement. Merchants travelling 
with wares, unless belated at an inconvenient distance from a 
khan, or inn, do not seek accommodations in such places, which 
are generally the resort of elders or religious teachers, messen- 


THE SON OF GOD. 


79 


gers, laborers, belated travellers and strangers. But all property 
of wayfarers is safe and sacred from thieves in the Madyafy, 
which is protected by respect for the spirit of the tribal progenitor 
and saint. The furniture in this place is of the simplest. A few 
straw-mats or woollen rugs, some earthen-ware lamps for olive 
oil, water-jars and drinking vessels. A Madyafy is maintained 
by donations of the tribe, or by endowment of its founder. Dur- 
ing the winter or rainy season the rural population have more 
calls on their hospitality than during the summer, or dry months 
of the year, when people travel frequently at night to avoid the 
great heat of the day. The Madyafy also serves as a place for 
public worship, council house and club house for the men of the 
village. 

It is the duty of the first person who notes the arrival of a 
stranger to conduct him to the Madyafy or to salute him if already 
there. The next is to give notice in the village that a guest has 
arrived; and while one or more men make the stranger welcome, 
the women hasten to set some food before him. One will bring 
bread, another fruit, or eggs or milk, butter or cheese, according 
to ability or convenience. If the wayfarer arrive at the supper 
hour, some of the men will have their meals brought to the 
Madyafy and invite the stranger to share their meal. After supper 
the evening is spent in conversation and exchange of news. The 
majority of the men of the village spend their evenings in this 
place; and many of the women often stand or sit around outside 
the circle of men, to listen and occasionally join in the talk cr 
discussions. At the third hour of the night, nine o’clock, the 
hour for evening prayer, the oldest man in the assembly rises 
as he exclaims; Ya Allah! Ya Sattaar! Oh God I Oh Merciful 
Protector! This is the signal for all to retire. 

It was the custom of the Essenes to appoint in every village, 
town and city, one of their sect to take care of strangers, and to 
provide them with garments or any other necessaries. In Naza- 
reth the family of Youseph Pandar had built and endowed a 


8o 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Madyafy. To supervise this was, with the ladies Marya and 
Salome, a labor of love rather than duty. / 

It was the month of March of the twenty-first year of the 
reign of Augustus Caesar. The leafy trees were full of birds be- 
ginning to twitter and chirp their vesper hymns. The uplands 
were brilliant with flowers and verdure, the barley was ripening, 
and the green wheat-fields were full of promise. The balmy 
spring day was drawing to a close, the golden sun slowly sinking 
in the western horizon in clouds of rose and blue and fleecy 
white. The shadows of the rocks were lengthening on the fragrant 
grass from which sweet perfumes were exhaled on the evening 
air. The wood pigeons had already sought their nests, but the 
doves were flying to their cotes in the houses of their owners. 
Flocks of sheep and goats, with snow white lambs and black kids 
trotting by the side of the ewes, were coming in to the sheep 
folds led by the shepherds ; and the gentle kine came slowly 
wending their separate ways homeward of their own accord, 
lowing as they went to give notice that they were returning from 
pasture. The matrons were preparing to set the principal meal 
of the day before their men, as soon as they should return from 
their labors in farm and field. 

The Lady Marya came up from the village fountain with her 
maidens, who brought water for the Madyafy. After she had 
inspected the place, and found that all things were in readiness 
for any wayfarers who might arrive, she went and stood awhile 
under the trees of the open court which commanded a view of 
the valley. Marya’s whole being was filled with the sacred 
influence of the hour, and in spirit she communed with the Invis- 
ible Creator of all the marvellous beauty which the eye could see 
and the senses feel. Thanks she gave for all the bounteous 
good of her own lot, and breathed a supplication that the human 
race might find individual and collective peace and happiness in 
this life, as well as in that of the hereafter. A great pity ever 
filled her loving heart for all the peoples who, as taught by 


THE SON OF GOD. 


8l 


Judaism, would be eternally destroyed because they did not 
accept the tenets of that creed. Could it be possible that the 
All Father would create human beings with such grand, noble 
intelligence and physique as the Aryan race, only to torture and 
annihilate them hereafEer? Fanaticism, intolerance, bigotry, 
blind credulity and unquestioning obedience, outgrowths of 
ignorance and of self-sufficiency; were not these the character- 
istics indlspensible to the very existence of Judaism? 

As she pondered on these things she sorrowed at heart and 
was perplexed in her mind, as she prayed earnestly: How long. 
Oh Eternal! must we yet wait for Thy Messenger who shall en- 
lighten us, and reconcile the conflicting teachings of men to thy 
will. Hasten, merciful Creator, his coming, we beseech Thee. 

Looking down the valley where the soft shadows were deep- 
ening, she perceived a traveller approaching the Madyafy. 
When he came near she recognized the rank and order of the 
guest by his white garments. He was a man of advanced age, 
commanding presence and noble countenance, where shone the 
light of the innate holiness which creates an atmosphere of puri- 
ty round about. 

The Almighty be with you, my daughter, said the venerable 
traveller, as he entered the court where she stood. 

The Almighty preserve you, my lord, and we pray you wel- 
come, answered Marya, bowing her head in respect. Then she 
signalled one of her maidens who stood near by, and bade her 
go quickly and tell the steward that a minister of the Invisible 
Supreme was even then at the Madyafy. 

Hail, Holy Maid, Marya ! For thou wilt bring Flim forth who 
will destroy the malice of demons and of men ; the Saviour of 
the Restoration, exclaimed the holy man, as he bowed low be- 
fore the Lady Marya, 

My Lord, she replied. We have done naught to merit such 
salutation. And what service can we render to mankind that 
such honor should be conferred upon us ? 


6 




lESAT NASSAU. 


It is known unto you that we, the ministers and servants of 
the Most High, through our generations have searched to know 
the time and season when the Desire of all nations shall appear 
on the earth. It hath been revealed to us that the advent of the 
Great Deliverer, who shall restore men to true holiness, and 
reconcile them to the Father of the Family is very nigh. But in 
order that all men may see him, and learn the truth of him he 
must be incarnated, and live among us as one of us. It has now 
been revealed to us that He shall be born of Thee. He shall 
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. The 
Almighty shall give unto him the dominion; and of his kingdom 
there shall be no end. 

But how can this thing be, my lord : seeing that the priests 
of the Jews and the doctors of their laws have ever taught, and 
claim that Israel is the only begotten Son of God, according to 
their scriptures which say : Israel is my Son, my first born. I will 
make him higher than the kings of the earth. 

Hearken diligently unto our words. Daughter Marya : so wilt 
thou understand the message . we have brought thee. Have not 
the house of Jacob and the people of Israel ever been destroyers 
of the nations of the earth, either by subtlety or by force ? Is it 
not written in their law: the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and 
the house of Josheph a flame. Teach not their priests that lands 
which are as the garden of Eden when they enter, shall become 
as a desolate wilderness behind them, and that none shall deliver 
out of their hand. Also, say they not that the wealth and the 
glory of the Gentiles are the lawful inheritance of Israel; that 
the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations and among 
many peoples as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who if 
he go through, treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and there is 
none to deliver. How then can Israel be the beloved Son of 
God, and his first born ? Doth a father send his first born son to 
destroy and devour all his other children ? Nay, the Father of 
the Family will not send his first born and beloved Son into the 


TIIE SON OF GOD. 83 

world to condemn the world, but that all men, through him may 
be saved. 

May the Almighty forgive us our errors, and enlighten and 
teach us what he would have us do, answered Marya earnestly. 

The time hath now fully arrived, continued this man of God, 
for him who cometh to save the family of the All Father, to ap- 
pear among us ; and it hath been revealed unto us that it is he who 
shall be born of thee. Therefore shall he be called the Son of 
the God of Life, and he shall deliver his people from the great 
error. 

Then, said Marya reverently : behold the handmaid of the 
Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word. 

The Lady Marya made known to her aunt all that the man 
of God had said to her. Then said the Lady Try wa : Honor 
and praise be unto the Supreme Creator and Cause of all; for he 
hath remembered his promise unto our forefathers that he would 
send the Great Deliverer unto the children of men. But who am 
I, and what is my father’s house to receive such honor, that the 
Mother of our Lord should have come to me as a daughter. 

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin, 

The Light of the World is Jesus. 

Like the sunshine of noonday his glory shone in, 

The Light of the World is Jesus. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. VI. Also pages of same, 
534 , 535 » 539 * 




r 


84 


tESAT NASSAR* 


CHAPTER VII. 


THE LORD JESUS. 

After Caesar Augustus had added the country of Traction ites 
to the kingdom of Herod the Great, the inhabitants of that dis- 
trict were no longer permitted to continue their lawless life of 
robbers and murderers, but were obliged to till their lands, and 
live honestly, which they did not like to do. But when King 
Herod sailed to Rome the Trachonites spread a report that he 
was dead, revolted from his dominion and betook themselves 
again to their former mode of living by robbing their neighbors. 
Herod’s commanders subdued them ; but forty of the principal 
robbers retired to Arabia, where Sylleus, prime minister of King 
Obodus of that region, gave them a fortified place to live in. 
So they not only overran Judea, but also Celesyria, and carried 
off the spoil to the fortified places afforded them by Sylleus. 

When Herod returned from Rome he was not able to reach 
the robbers. So he executed their relations in Trachonites. But 
the robbers, who had now increased to about one thousand men, 
continued their depredations upon Herod’s dominion with impu- 
nity ; laying waste the lands and villages, and killing whom they 
caught. 

Herod demanded of Sylleus the surrender of the robbers ; 
but he denied that they were in Arabia, and left for Rome. 
Therefore,, by permission of Saturnius and Volumnius, the Presi- 
dents of Syria, Herod marched an army into Arabia, assaulted 
the stronghold of the robbers, conquered them, and demolished 
their fortress : but he did no harm to any one else. The defeated 
robbers sent messengers with all haste to Rome, to carry news 
of Herod’s action to Sylleus who meanwhile had ingratiated him- 
self with Caesar. He arrayed himself in black garments, and 
presented himself with tears in his eyes before Caesar ; told him 


THE LORD JESUS. 


8s 


that Herod was laying Arabia waste with an army, and had slain 
two thousand five hundred men, and carried off the riches of 
Raepta. The true facts were that an Arab chief named Naseeb 
with some of his followers, came to the assistance of the robbers, 
and with about twenty of his men was killed in the battle. When 
Augustus Caesar ascertained that Herod had really marched an 
army into Arabia he became exceedingly angry, and without wait- 
ing to inquire and ascertain, for what reason and by whose per- 
mission he had done so, wrote sharply to Herod that : Whereas 
he, Caesar, had used Herod as a vassal king and his friend, he 
would now treat him as a subject. This decision reduced Herod’s 
principality into a province. Caesar also refused to admit an 
embassy from Herod, dismissing them twice without an audience. 
Sylleus wrote an account of this to the Arabians, who became so 
elated that they refused to deliver up any of the robbers or to re- 
pay the money they had borrowed of Herod. They also retained 
the pastures they had hired of him, and declined to pay the rents 
due. At the same time those of Trachonites used this opportu- 
nity to resume their old habits of robbery and lawlessness. 

The decision of Augustus Caesar against Herod, which re- 
duced his principality to a province, necessitated the decree that 
all the inhabited earth, /. e. of Herod’s kingdom, should be en- 
rolled. The inhabited earth embraced all land, whether individ- 
ual or communal property; as also buildings in cities, towns and 
villages. Land which was neither individual nor communal was 
property of the State, free as pasture land for the inhabitants of 
the city or village within whose boundaries it lay; but no taxes 
were paid on such crown lands. These were distinguished as un- 
inhabited parts of the earth, and frequently were erroneously in- 
terpreted to mean, and translated, as desert or wilderness. 

To carry the decree of Augustus Caesar into effect it was 
necessary for the Roman government to ascertain the number 
and names of the land owners in Herod’s kingdom, and the 
extent of each owner’s possessions, by a survey of the land. 


86 


lESAT NASSAR. 


The bounds of these several kinds of real estate were read- 
justed, defined and recorded in the local as well as the Roman 
archives; and deeds for the surveyed lands, endorsed by the 
Roman government, were issued to the proprietors on payment 
of a fee or tax for the same. Thus the enrolment of the land 
included a census of the population ; since it necessitated the 
enumeration of the proprietors with their children, and all possi- 
ble heirs. Therefore all owners of landed estates were obliged 
to be on the premises in person during the government survey 
of their property, to secure the rightful boundaries of the estate, 
and the legal deeds for the same. 

When the time came for the survey of Bethlehem and its 
dependencies, those who owned any of its landed estate, but 
resided elsewhere, were obliged to travel to Bethlehem and re- 
main there until their property had been surveyed and regis- 
tered. This brought much additional trade and money to the 
town. 

Both Youseph and Marya owned dwellings and lands in 
Judea. After making arrangements for a prolonged absence, 
they left Galilee with the Ladies Trywa and Salome for Marya’s 
residence in the environs of Bethlehem. The mansion of Deyar, 
with its farms, vineyards and pasture grounds, was not included 
in the dedicated and entailed property inherited by Marya 
from her mother Grapte of Kharax, and for this reason she de- 
sired that her child should be born on the premises and enrolled 
as its heir. The retainers and servants in charge of this prop- 
erty were either Essenes or Assyrians who still adhered to the 
faith of thdr ancestors ; but all were of Aryan race. They had 
learned of the revelation that the time had fully come for the ad- 
vent of Ormuzd the Faithful, and that stars had spoken that 
this Great Deliverer was to be incarnated by being born of the 
Lady Marya. They were, therefore, filled with joyful and rev- 
erential expectation when their mistress arrived. 

The lands of Deyar adjoined the pasture ground of the 


THE LORD JESUS. 


^7 


flocks destined for the Temple sacrifices. Desiring to secure 
animals of superior breed and quality for the offerings which they 
imposed upon the people, the priests had contracted with Kurd 
cattle raisers for a continuous supply. These Temple flocks 
were pastured in the environs of Bethlehem and the vicinity 
of the spring which supplies the three pools with water. The 
shepherds in charge of them were Kurds who had become 
proselytes to Judaism; and some had joined the sect of the 
Essenes. On these sons of the alien, the Temple priests could 
rely that they would defend the sheep against the robbers who 
infested the country at the risk of their own lives, and that they 
would not devour the choicest lambs and attribute the loss to 
incursions of thieves and wild beasts. 

Between the retainers at the Deyar and the shepherds of the 
Temple flocks there was a natural bond of friendship; and 
although they disagreed on the subject of creeds and dogmas, 
yet all, being Aryans, and sincere, upright. God-fearing men, 
they respected each other’s honest lives, and looked for the ad- 
vent of the Promised One according to their several convictions. 

The sun had just entered the winter solstice when a number 
of Kurd shepherds arrived in Judea with flocks of sheep and 
goats for the winter’s demand. Many of them had already sold 
their animals to regular customers among the small sheep farm- 
ers along the route. At this season the largest consignments of 
sheep and goats arrived from the North, because of the rainy, 
stormy months which follow, and during which the flocks are 
not exposed to travel long distances, but are pastured in shel- 
tered valleys where caves abound, in which they can be housed 
from storm and frost. 

Some of these shepherds were retainers of the families of 
Youseph Pandar and the Lady Mary a, and naturally assembled 
at the Deyar to account for the flocks, or to bring and carry news, 
messages or goods entrusted to their charge. Those who had 
no special errand met there to see friends, who welcomed and 


88 


lESAT NASSAR. 


entertained them as fellow countrymen. The shepherds who 
brought the flocks for the Temple uses were generally accom- 
modated by those who kept watch over such sheep. 

All these different shepherds were not ignorant hirelings ; but 
either owned the flocks or raised and cared for the sheep of their 
feudal lords on shares. They were trustworthy, intelligent 
men, who possessed more than ordinary advantages to study 
nature and man during their travels over the then known world 
in connection with their business. 

Among all classes of men with whom they came in contact, 
they found that there existed at that time a weariness of the 
ancient order of things, and a cravin.g for a new era in which 
there should come an awakening of the gentler and finer feel- 
ings and emotions of the soul. Society seemed to be formed of 
combinations of men banded together to make war upon, or 
defend themselves against their neighbors. In the struggle for 
conquest or self preservation, the weakest not only went to the 
wall, but was deprived of personal liberty, and was made the 
slave of the conqueror or creditor, who had the power of de- 
priving the vanquished even of life itself. Shipwrecked mari- 
ners and travelers, instead of being entitled to the hospitality of 
the people upon whose coasts and country they had been 
stranded, were enslaved, and their goods were seized as lawful 
booty. Religious laws themselves prescribed certain things 
that the people had to observe under the penalty of incurring 
the anger and vengeance of the gods, and of severe punishments 
by the authorities of the country. But the power of the gods 
was declining. While the people still obeyed the laws through 
fear of temporal punishment, they were beginning to find out 
that the gods were either very partial, very lenient, or that 
they had grown too old and feeble to wreak their vengeance 
upon ifidividuals. The time was ripe, and the intelligence of 
mankind ready and willing to receive the revelation of the hope 
and desire of the ages, the Great Deliverer of the Nations^ the 


THE LORD JESUS. 89 

Messenger from the Father of the Family, the Light of the In- 
visible Supreme God. 

Such was the subject of conversation on that beautiful, clear, 
starlit night, as the Kurd shepherds kept watch in company with 
the shepherds of the Temple flocks. They had eaten their frugal 
meal and, wrapped in their lambskin cloaks, they sat on the 
ground around a wood fire. The sheep lay all around, closely 
nestled to each other to keep warm, for the night was cool. On 
the outer circle large, shaggy wolf dogs were lying down by the 
flocks they had always guarded, and ever on the alert, as could 
be seen by the attitude of their ears. Frequently, the dogs 
raised their heads, opened tfieir large eyes, which gleamed like 
jewels in the semi-darkness, and took a keen survey of the sheep 
and the general surroundings. Then finding all safe, with a 
sigh of satisfaction, they resumed their former position of rest by 
laying the chin on the outstretched front paws. 

All was still; all at peace. There was neither sign nor 
sound that betokened any danger so far as the eye could see, 
or the ear hear. Only the voices of the shepherds, rich and 
melodious, fell on the quiet of the night, as they spoke of the re- 
ports heaid in their own country, viz. : that it had been revealed 
unto the ministers of the Invisible Supreme that the Great De- 
liverer was nigh at hand, that he should get the dominion over 
the habitable world, and appear from the land of Palestine. 

The proselyte shepherds demurred, on the ground that the 
coming of the Deliverer would have been revealed to the Jewish 
priests. 

Children, said the Chief Shepherd, who was a venerable man 
of noble and benevolent countenance, we have the assurance of 
past experience, and therefore hope for the present and the future 
that the Supreme Creator and Father reveals himself and his 
will, first and most clearly to those who love him and meditate 
upon his goodness and greatness. A spiritual connection is 
thus established between such naen and the Eternal, There- 


90 


lESAT NASSAR. 


fore, surely unto them that look for the coming of his messenger 
of light and healing would his advent be first revealed. The 
acts of the Almighty are not acts of impulse. Therefore he 
revealeth his will and work when mankind, by gradual develop- 
ment are prepared for great changes intellectually; although 
peradventure not conscious of the universality of such mental 
progress. The priests of the Jews look not for the coming of a 
Deliverer from spiritual bondage for all the nations of the earth, 
but for one who shall subdue the Gentiles under Israel. There- 
fore to them, the advent of One who shall enlighten all men, 
and free them from the yoke of ignorance, would but mean the 
nullification of their claim to be the only beloved and chosen 
interpreters and representatives of the most powerful Deitv. 

The company of shepherds had been so earnestly absorbed 
in converse with each other that for some time they had taken 
no note of the surrounding country upon which the peace of 
heaven seemed to have fallen. Suddenly they became aware of 
a stir among the sheep, and looking around, they saw blazing fire 
light approaching; and by its reflection, a majestic and venerable 
man, in white raiment, coming towards them. 

The big watch dogs had not uttered any sound ; but now sat 
up on their haunches with ears erect and wide open eyes, as 
though they had instinctively recognized that friends were near. 

What could this mean? Who could it be? Was it some 
supernatural vision, or a subtle ruse of enemies and midnight 
marauders. A strange and undefined awe fell upon their hearts, 
as they gazed and saw further in the distance, but quickly 
nearing them, numbers of blazing lights, which seemed to float 
in the air. The shepherds sprang to their feet, and seizing their 
weapons, hailed the venerable man in white, who they now per- 
ceived was accompanied by an attendant that bore aloft, on a 
pole, an iron cresset filled with burning, blazing, resinous wood. 

Fear not! answered the man clad in white, in a loud melodi- 
ous voice, Behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall 


THE LORD JESUS. 91 

be to all people. For unto us is born this day the Great De- 
liverer, Our Lord. 

Meanwhile, a great multitude of men, wearing white garments 
and all bearing aloft similar torches of blazing fire that lit up the 
surrounding hills, had come near enough to be recognized as 
Essenes, shepherds, and retainers of the royal families of Kharax 
and Adiabene. As they halted, they sang, Glory to God the 
Most High, the Invisible Supreme. For he hath sent the 
Promised One, who shall bring peace to the Earth, and establish 
good will among men. Then the assembld host joined in a song 
of praise, such as had not ascended to the throne of the Almighty, 
since the completion of the Creation of the world, when the sons 
of God shouted for joy. 

After this, the shepherds who were watching their flocks in the 
fields, inquired of the messengers where the new-born Lord was 
to be found, and were directed to the Deyar. 

There, said the messengers, you will find our Lord with his 
Mother, our Lady Marya, under the safe and powerful protection 
of our Master, Youseph Pandar. 

And whither go ye now, friends ? inquired the shepherds. 

The chief of the men in white, replied. Some of us came as 
messengers, from the ministers of the Invisible Supreme, unto 
whom the future and the unseen were revealed. Now we return 
without delay to our country, to carry to the wise men tidings of 
all we have seen and heard. The others among us will also 
journey to make the good news known unto our brethren in the 
faith, in all lands. 

On the eighth day, afier the birth of the Son of Lady 
Marya, a company of Jewish doctors of the law and Essene 
elders, assembled in the beautiful reception chamber of the Deyar, 
where Youseph Pandar received them. After the usual saluta- 
tions had been exchanged, and the guests had all arrived, a 
retainer announced that the women were bringing the young 
prince. On this the men all rose as the wise woman, Ywissa, 


92 


lESAT NASSAR. 


appeared, carrying the infant son of Marya in her arms. Lord 
Simeon, the Essene elder, received the child from her, and bear- 
ing him into the middle of the spacious room, held him in his 
arms, while the Mohel circumcised the infant prince, and the 
Rabbis recited the prayers for the occasion with the guests, who 
all stood round the Lord Simeon during the ceremony. 

At the naming the child was called lesat, which means : 
He shall increase. This was a favorite name of the royal family 
of Adiabene. For a synagogue name the infant prince was 
called Yehoshua, which means^, Help of Jehovah. 

After the service was ended, Simeon blessed the child, and 
raising his eyes to heaven, exclaimed with joy and reverence : 
Lord Almighty! Now I am ready to depart in peace, if so be 
Thy will. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which thou 
hast prepared for all people. To be the Light of the nations and 
a glory unto the people of Israel. 

Costly offerings and gifts were sent to the Temple and to its 
priests at Jerusalem. A sumptuous banquet was spread for the 
invited elders; the retainers and servants were feasted, and much 
money was distributed among the poor on this day, when the 
son of the Lady Marya was named lesat Yehoshua and sealed 
unto the congregation of the Jews. 

But when some of the Jewish elders, who were expert in 
forecasting the future, returned to Jerusalem, they took counsel 
among themselves, that the Lady Marya, according to their law, 
was the mekadesh betrothed wife of Yohanan, the son of Seth, 
of the family of King David; and therefore decreed that lesat 
Yehoshua, the son of Marya, not being begotten of Yohanan, 
was illegitimate. So they agreed to register his name in their 
secret records as Yeshu, which word is formed of three letters, 
Yod, Shin, Vaf. These letters being in Hebrew the initials of the 
words Youmakh, Shimo, Vazikro, viz. : Let his Name and Memory 
be Obliterated. They therefore formed the initials of these words 
into the name Yeshu, saying: We will give him this name be^ 


The LORD JESUS 


93 


cause it will be strange enough to the people to excite their 
curiosity sufficiently to lead men to inquire for the cause ; to 
watch his words, deeds and behavior at all times, and to search 
out his progenitor. 

This became known unto Lord Simeon, who blessed our Lady 
Marya at the time of her purification offering. Then he also 
made known to her the wicked design against her and her son, 
that was to be carried into execution by means of the name 
coined by some of the elders for the infant prince and heir. 
Daughter ! he added, thus have the thoughts and desires of their 
hearts been revealed ; in that they have set him up for a sign 
to be spoken against. But, though the sword of calumny pierce 
thy soul, yet through thy Son shall the power of the haughty 
oppressors of the people be broken; while the oppressed and 
the lowly shall be raised out of their misery into the noble 
manhood and womanhooti with which the Creator has endowed 
humanity. 

Comes the last age of which the sybils sung 
A new born cycle of the rolling years : 

Justice returns to earth, lo from the high heavens 
Comes a new seed of men. 

This glorious age inaugurates, oh Lord, with thee ; 

For Thou shalt surely purge our guilt stains out, 

And free the land from dread. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. VII. Also page of same, 


535 . 




lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


THE WISE MEN. 

Among themselves, the Rabbis and doctors of the law never 
acknowledged Herod the Great as King of the Jews. Although 
appointed King, by Caesar, three years before he married Mari- 
amne of the Asmoneans, yet did the Rabbis and lawyers date 
Herod’s reign only from the date of his alliance with that 
princess, on sufferance, as being the consort of the woman whom 
they acknowledged as Queen of the Jews after the death of her 
brother Aristobulus. The kingdom was spoken of as her king- 
dom; and Herod was accused of being content to re^gn over a 
state that rightfully belonged to the sons of Mariamne the 
Asmonean, for whom he could only hold it in trust, and whom 
he was intrigueing to deprive of the rights of succession. By 
reason of such seditious teachings of their leaders many of the 
people of the Jews were constantly entangled and drawn into 
conspiracies and rebellions against Herod the Great. Alexander 
and Aristobulus, the elder sons of Mariamne the Asmonean, in- 
cited by interested and crafty partisans, became over bold in 
their intrigues, and too outspoken in their revilings against their 
royal father. Actuated by good-will to Herod, ill-will towards 
the Asmoneans, or gain for self, some one or other was always 
ready to repeat the unfilial expressions, or to betray the con- 
spiracies. This was followed by trials of the young men, which 
ended in reconciliations between them and their father. But 
the misguided sons continued their conspiracies until finally 
Caesar ordered that they stand their trial in Berytus, before a 
mixed tribunal of Jewish and Roman judges. Therefore Herod 
went to Syria, with Alexander and Aristobulus. 

At the same time the Pharisees spread a report that the 
Messiah had been born, and thereby incited many of the people 


i'HE Wise men. 


of the Jews to rebel against submission to the edict of Caesar 
concerning the survey and registration of the land and its hold- 
ers, and the imposition of the consequent tax. This state of 
affairs enabled the robber bands to descend upon the outlying 
suburbs of towns, and upon the villages, and with impunity rob 
and murder the defenceless and distracted inhabitants, who de- 
sired to live peaceably under the just administration of the 
Romans, on the pretext of patrotism and allegiance to the laws 
of Jehovah, as set forth by the priests and doctors of the law. 
The majority of the chief priests and elders were the partners of 
the chiefs of these robber bands. 

In the astral science, cultivated in the East from the re- 
motest antiquity, it was inculcated that there would be a restitu- 
tion of all things after a revolution of certain periods of time. 
The beginning of the new epoch was calculated by the rising of 
particular stars. The conjunction of stars at this time had re- 
vealed to the Magi, that the era when the Desire of the Nations 
was to appear, had begun. 

One day as* the sun was nearing the western horizon, a large 
company of men on horses approached Jerusalem from the north. 
Seven of them were recognizable as Magian princes by their 
dress and the accoutrements of their noble, white steeds. Their 
suite consisted of several hundred retainers, mounted on hand- 
some and trained war horses. Also a large number of armed 
servants on horseback, who rode in the rear in charge of a goodly 
train of mules laden with the effects of the travelers. 

A handsome pavilion tent had been pitched at the side of 
the highway on Mount Scopus, where Jerusalem comes grandly 
into view like a city of palaces and fortresses, crowning the 
group of mountains upon which it is built. Several hundred 
horsemen were drawn up in line on either side of the road, and 
a party of men, evidently of high rank and dignity, sat in the 
pavilion. These were Aryans, Egyptians, and Hindoos, who 


96 


lEiSAT nassar. 


had come out of the city to welcome their illustrious countrymen 
and give them a fitting reception. 

The outriders of the visitors, whose gold-embroidered gar- 
ments and jewelled weapons flashed and glittered in the sun- 
light came on at a full gallop, harmoniously striking the small 
drums fastened to their saddle horns. After announcing that 
the Magi were nigh they passed on to herald the approach of 
these priest princes to the Palace Grapte, and to present the 
necessary credentials from the Roman President of Syria, which 
certified that the foreign princes came, not as invaders, but as 
religious pilgrims. 

The company in the pavilion now came out to greet the ap- 
proaching Magi. The cavalcade made an immediate halt as the 
priest princes reined in their horses and dismounted to salute the 
distinguished men who had come out of the city to give them 
welcome. The oldest and chief of the Magi raised his right 
hand on high, and turned his face toward Jarusalem. The great 
multitude of men on horses and on foot preserved an absolute, 
impressive silence, when this prince raised his voice and said : 

Oh, thou Invisible Supreme, Source of Light and First Cause 
of All! From generation to generation Thou hast been our 
refuge, and our fathers waited patiently for Thy salvation. Hear 
us now, we beseech Thee, as we offer our thanks and praise for 
the great mercy and favor bestowed upon us. For what are we 
that Thou shouldest bring us to this great honor, in that our eyes 
will indeed behold Thy Messenger. Surely, Thy love and kind- 
ness are unto all the races of mankind, since although the Lord 
of Light be incarnated of our race, in Thy inscrutable wisdom 
Thou hast caused him to be born among a people who are not 
of us, that they also may have no excuse for continuing in dark- 
ness and bondage of superstition. Grant therefore, we pray Thee, 
that we may all be faithful to the Light now sent unto the world. 

Ameen I was the grand response of the assembled host to this 
prayer and thanksgiving of the chief. 


THE WISE MENo 


97 


Then the Magi and the noblemen who had come to meet 
them remounted their horses, and with their united suites of re- 
tainers and servants, rode down the mountain into the ravine 
that separates Scopus from Mount Moriah. 

There was intense excitement and much curiosity exhibited 
among the citizens as the great cavalcade of magnificent and 
stem looking warriors rode through the city gates, and their 
horses’ hoofs thundered over the granite paved streets. The 
company drew rein when they reached the Palace Grapte, at 
whose gates the Magi were met and welcomed by the Lord 
Simeon, the Essene elder. 

Preparations for the reception and accommodation of the 
priest princes with their suite had been made two weeks earlier, 
when the messengers to herald their coming had arrived. 

When the august visitors had laid aside their traveling gar- 
ments and assembled in the banquet hall, a messenger from the 
High Priest arrived with salutations and word that the chief 
priests of the Temple desired to pay their respects to the noble 
pilgrims on the following day. Visions of a Judaized and 
militant Parthia, and consequently Judaism speedily trium- 
phant and regnant, had filled their souls with unutterable bliss 
when they received the tidings of the arrival of the royal Gentile 
ecclesiastics as pilgrims. 

The Magi returned a courteous message to signify that the 
visit of the Jewish priests would be acceptable. Soon after, 
another messenger was announced from Prince Herod, youngest 
son of Queen Mariamne, of the Asmoneans, who sent word that, 
as King Herod the Great and his two elder sons were absent in 
Berytus, he desired to pay his respects, and to salute tbe Magian 
princes as the only representative of the Jewish royal family of 
Asmoneans then at Jerusalem. With this messenger a cordial 
answer of welcome was also returned. 

After supper, the Lord Simeon and the Magi gathered to 
take counsel concerning the things which had been revealed unto 

7 


98 


lESAT NASSAR. 


them, and the events that had followed. The visitors now also 
inquired w^hat manner of men were the priests who proposed to 
salute them the next day. 

Simeon therefore made known to the Magi all that he had 
witnessed and heard of the persecution that the Lady Marya 
had experienced from the family of Rabbi Seth ; and also the 
calumny which the chief elders had formulated against the son 
of Marya and against her. 

The faces of the seven princes grew grave and sad as they 
listened, and when they had heard all they exclaimed with won- 
dering sorrow: Alas! where is He born, this our Lord. Among 
an alien race, to be persecuted and defamed ! 

Now, said one of the Magi, we can understand what was in- 
comprehensible in the revelations of the Star of His nativity. 
For, although His influence shall triumph in all the ages to come, 
and His dominion increase without end, yet will the life of our 
Lord, in the land of His birth, be beset by malignant foes and 
successive deadly dangers. Surely the Invisible Supreme is no 
respector of persons or races in that he hath caused his Beloved 
One to be so humbled and incarnated subject to the laws of a priest- 
hood, whose religion is to defame and destroy all who refuse to 
wear their yoke of bondage. 

Children, spoke the venerable chief of the Magi, let us re- 
member that the Father of the Family pitieth all his creatures, 
even the most rebellious. Therefore, peradventure, our Lord of 
Light has thus been made subject to the law of bondage of the 
soul that he might break the yoke and redeem them who have 
strayed from the liberty of conscience and intelligence, as also 
free the ignorant race, born, like many generations of their ances- 
tors, under the galling yoke of Judaism, imposed on them by 
their leaders for their own interest and benefit. 

To the questions regarding Prince Herod, of the Asmoneans, 
Simeon replied: This Prince Herod hath not appeared openly in 
any of the conspiracies or revolts, and is extremely cautious in 


THE WISE MEN. 


99 


general conversation. But he is possessed of a manner and a 
power of language that incite a man to suspicion, anger, jealousy, 
avarice, and any passion and folly with which he may desire to 
influence his hearers. And yet so subtle is the speech and the 
manner of this prince that he whom he mastered! believeth him- 
self to be absolutely original and free in his will and in his 
thoughts. I fear that his brethren have proved but the tools by 
which Herod is working out a way for himself to the throne of 
his father. 

During the forenoon of the next day. Prince Herod and the 
chief priests of the Temple arrived at the Palace to salute the 
Magi. They were received and made welcome with all the 
honor due to their rank. 

The chief priests were consumed with curiosity and anxiety; 
but seeing that the Magi did not volunteer to inform them of 
the object of their visit to the Holy City, asked them at what 
time they would desire to worship at the Temple. For, said the 
Commander of the Sanctuary, we have heard that your High- 
nesses have come on a pilgrimage to our Holy House. 

The Magi waited for their Chief to speak, and he answered : 
Oh honorable priests of the Jews. We have, according to the 
custom of princes of civilized nations, indeed brought offerings to 
the Sanctuary of the people whose land we visit. We come 
not to worship at your Temple, but have taken this journey 
from distant lands that we may, in person, bow before our Lord 
of Light, whose birth in your country, hath been revealed unto 
us of the East, by the Star of His nativity. 

By what other name is he known, this Lord of Light of whom 
ye speak, inquired the priests with eager interest. 

We know Him also as the Desire of Nations, Ormuzd, the 
Faithful, and the Great Deliverer, who shall restore the soul of 
man to the nobility and purity of the source whence it came, and 
thus make us all at one again with the Invisible Supreme. 

But such a one must needs become absolute ruler over the 


lOO 


lESAT NASSAR. 


habitable earth, so that he may crush those who oppose him, 
said Prince Herod, with a keen, furtive glance at all the Magi. 

That may be our Messiah, who our doctors of the law report 
is born. But he must be of the family of David of Bethlehem, 
who was King of Judah and Israel, said Rabbi Seth with much 
unction. As one of the great Sanhedrists, and overflowing with 
inquisitive curiosity he had been one of the prime factors of this 
visit to the Magi. 

Whose son is he whom your Highnesses have come to wor- 
ship, inquired Herod, and where is he to be found. For I also 
would adore him with ray soul and body. 

The Chief of the Magi fixed his kindly, but penetrating gaze 
steadily, first on the countenance of Rabbi Seth, and then on 
that of Prince Herod, as he said : He whose Star we have seen, 
and the horoscope of whose nativity and mission to the world 
we have read, is the Son of our Lady Marya, the Daughter of 
Nakeeb, Prince of Adiabene, and of Grapte, Princess of Kharax, 
who among the Jews are called the proselytes Joachim and 
Anna. 

A pallor as that of death spread over the countenances of 
Prince Herod, Rabbi Seth and his colleagues ; and for awhile 
they all seemed to have been bereft of speech, Herod was the 
first to recover ; and being an Arabian by his father’s race, in- 
herited the suave tact for which that people is famous. 

The God of our ancestor Jacob, he said, once raised salvation 
to his chosen through Cyrus, who never entered the covenant of 
Abraham. How much more can he also now bring us prosperity 
and deliverance through this prince, whose royal progenitors 
joined themselves to the congregation of Israel. 

The Magian Princes made no reply to this speech. The 
Chief simply signifying, by a slight bow, that he had listened 
attentively to the words spoken. 

When they rose to depart Prince Herod said: My lords: 
our palace is at your service ; and we pray that you will honor 


THE WISE MEN. 


lOI 


US with your presence on your return to the city. After which 
we also will go and pay our homage to this Lord who is born 
to be King of the Kings of the Earth. 

Noble Prince and Honorable Priests, answered the Chief of 
the Magi. We spake not of kings temporal. We have come to 
bow before Him who is to reoncile the erring souls to the 
Supreme Good, the Lord Spiritual. 

After the visitors had gone the Chief said to his colleagues : 
Our friend and brother Simeon hath given us a right judgment 
of the Prince Herod. When any party that struggles for the 
mastery parades a desire to pay homage to the one who is, or 
may become a successful rival, it is wise to watch with all 
vigilance for subtle and secret snares. 

The arrival of the Magian Princes would have excited inter- 
est and curiosity at any time, among the citizens of Jerusalem. 
But that these seven should come to worship in the Holy City 
of the Jews caused the greatest excitement. The Jews regarded 
the event as one of the most reliable signs of their own speedy 
ascendancy. Surely, Messiahs must be near, if not already born, 
they argued. The Greeks and the Roman soldiers concluded 
that the world must be going mad when seven Magian princes 
and priests of a beautiful faith could come on so long a pilgrimage 
to worship a deity, whose Sanctuary appeared to them to serve 
no other purpose, than that of a tithing and slaughter-house, a 
kitchen for the Jewish priesthood, and a safe citadel wherein to 
store the wealth of gold and jewels which they exacted under 
every possible pretext from their co-religionists, as well as from 
pious Gentiles throughout the world. But when the report went 
through the city that the object of Magian adoration was not the 
Temple, but a heaven-sent messenger, whose advent had been the 
expectation of the ages, whose arrival would begin a new era for 
mankind, and that his arrival had been revealed to the learned 
and pious Magi by the language of the stars, then Greek and 


102 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Roman contempt changed to wondering awe and joyful expec- 
tations. 

As the august pilgrims with their great and gorgeous train of 
warriors and retainers rode from the Palace Grapte through the 
streets of Jerusalem towards the gate of the west, the windows of 
the houses were filled, and the sides of the streets were lined with 
spectators, many of whom tendered the beautiful oriental salu- 
tation of : Peace, peace be unto you, and, God make your way 
plain before you. All salutations were most courteously re- 
turned, whether given by citizens along the route or by the stern, 
disciplined Roman sentinels at the city gates. It was after the 
ninth hour of the day ; in the afternoon, when the princely cor- 
tege passed through the gates, and rode down to cross the 
Gihon Valley, up over the opposite hill, and along the plain of 
Rephaim on their journey to Deyar, where the Lord of Light, 
Prince lesat, or Jesus, was with his mother, the Lady Marya. 

The evening was beautiful. The rare atmosphere clear, and 
cool and sweet ; the sky of a tender blue, and the clouds about 
the horizon were tinged with living golden hues, which gradually 
changed to bright rose and royal purple, finally merging into 
pale lilacs and soft, fleecy whites and grays. The hearts of the 
travelers flowed over with gratitude to the Supreme Creator and 
Guide who had brought them thus far in peace and safety. And 
as they gazed, the skies softly deepened into sapphire, and the 
holy stars shone out with exceeding brilliancy, until the vault of 
heaven was studded with these silent witnesses of almighty 
skill. 

The retainer from the palace, himself a scion of a noble 
family, who accompanied the Magi, now reined in his horse, and 
pointing towards a bright light in the distance, said to the priest 
princes : Yonder, my lords, where that beacon shines like a star 
of fire is the mansion where our Lord tarries with our Lady, his 
mother. 

Praise and thanks be given to the Almighty, exclaimed the 


THE WISE MEN. IO3 

patrician pilgrims. For now verily our eyes shall speedily be en- 
lightened by the sight of the Blessed One. 

As they neared the Deyar, a company of retainers, all bear- 
ing lighted pitch and fragrant pine torches, came out to meet 
the Magi, whose approach had already been duly announced. 

After their reception in the castle with the honors due to their 
exalted rank and sacred offices, the Magi were conducted into 
the audience chamber. The dais at one end of the room was 
covered with Persian rugs and cushioned divans, covered with 
cloth of gold. Here stood the Lady Marya with her son in her 
arms. She wore a flowing Grecian robe of soft white silk, richly 
broidered with gold, and confined at the waist by a jewelled gir- 
dle. The long veil of royal purple crape, deeply fringed with 
gold, was fastened by a fillet of gold on the beautifully formed 
head. Long, wide sleeves, open almost from the shoulder, 
allowed the broad begemmed gold armlets and bracelets to be 
seen above the elbows and wrists. Her Son, lesat Nassar, our 
Lord Jesus, a child nearly two years old at the time, was clad in 
a tunic of white silk, deeply fringed with gold at the hem. The 
limbs of the Holy Child were of perfect mould and form, and 
the skin was divinely fair and delicately tinted. His soft, silky 
hair, the color of virgin gold in which the sunlight dwells, and 
the Grecian nose, the exquisite mouth and dimpled chin, broad 
and noble head, were all of the most perfect contour and comli- 
ness. But the glorious, large, dark blue eyes, under the well de- 
fined brows, and shaded by long, curling lashes, gazed at men 
and things with an earnest expression and power which seemed 
to search and see further than the generality of the children of 
mankind. 

Lamps of gold and silver filagree hung from the roof by chains 
of the same metal, and held crystal vessels filled with refined and 
fragrant oils, and the light which was shed over the scene was 
soft and mellow. 

The Magian princes, clad in their sacerdotal robes of flowing 


104 


lESAT NASSAR. 


white, approached, and placing both hands on the breast, rever- 
ently bowed their heads. Then, prostrating themselves before 
the Lord Spiritual, they worshipped him as the Messenger of the 
All Father. 

It was a holy sight, those bearded sages in adoration before 
the Infant Saviour. Their voices rose in united thanksgiving and 
praise for the favor vouchsafed to them, that their eyes indeed 
beheld the Great Deliverer. And the Almighty thus sent peace 
and content, and a holy solemn joy into their souls evermore. 

When the pious craving to relieve their overflowing hearts by 
praise and prayer had in a measure been satisfied, the priest 
princes presented their offerings to the Lord Jesus. 

Early the next day, at the time of the sunrising, all the war- 
riors, retainers and attendants in the train of the Magi, as also 
those of the Deyar, assembled in the great open court of the 
castle — a magnificent company of stalwart, beautiful manhood of 
all ages, from the grey haired, grey bearded, calm men, who bore 
many scars of wounds received in battle, to the fiery, beardless 
youths, eager to win distinction by brave deeds. As they waited, 
the sound of the grand Sun Rise Chant to the Almighty was heard, 
and the doors of the audience chamber were opened wide. A 
procession of men in white robes came out first, and ranged 
themselves to the right. The seven Magian princes, in sacerdotal 
garments, with the venerable Chief in their midst, bearing the 
Lord Jesus, took their positions in the centre, where also stood 
Youseph Pandar. They were followed by the Lady Marya, the 
Ladies Trywa and Salome, with their women and maidens, all 
robed in white; and these took their places to the left of the 
Magi. 

The whole assembly faced the East as they chanted. But 
when the first rays of the sun shot up through the rose flushed 
sky the venerable Chief turned, and, facing the great multitude, 
raised the Lord Jesus aloft in his arms, as he exclaimed : Behold 
lesat Nassar, our Sun of Righteousness ! 


THE WISE MEN. 


A mighty shout of victory went up from the assembled host : 
Hail lesat Nassar, thou Sun of our Soul ! Then, bowing rever- 
ently, they prostrated themselves before Jesus, the Lord of 
Spiritual Light. 

After the song of praise and prayer were ended, the warriors 
and retainers came forward to take the oath of fealty. As each 
warrior approached he took off his w’^eapons, and, laying them at 
the feet of the Lord J esus, touched the border of his robe, and 
swore to be His faithful soldier and servant, even unto death. 

When all the men had thus paid their homage, the warriors 
and retainers unsheathed their sharp, glittering weapons, and 
waving them aloft in the golden sunshine, shouted as one: All 
hail ! Blessed be He who has come to us in the name of the 
Lord of Hosts. 


As the warriors lower their arms, 
Jesus, Lord of Light, they own; 
Then proclaim in joyful psalms. 
Victory through His grace alone. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. VIII. Also page of 
same, 535. 


1 


lESAT NASSAR. 


106 


CHAPTER IX. 


HEROD WAS TROUBLED, 

When Prince Herod returned from his visit to the wise men, 
he was very much troubled in his mind, and retired to his apart- 
ments to meditate for awhile in solitude. He had also just re- 
ceived private intelligence by swift and special messenger that 
his brothers had been executed. Therefore, to the Nationalist 
party he was now the rightful king of the Jews. His secret ad- 
herents, the Herodians, could now openly uphold his claim to 
the succession on the death of Herod the Great, or even earlier, if 
favorable opportunity occurred. The claims of his father’s other 
sons might be easily set aside by judicious means ; since he had 
been successful in removing a far greater obstacle in the persons 
of his own mother’s sons who had been the favorites and pride 
of the majority of the Jewish people. 

But just as success was within his grasp a most unexpected 
menace arose that threatened to neutralize all the plans which 
he had formed with the most ingenious subtlety, and carried out 
wish such consummate skill. A child was born, a descendant of 
the royal families of Kharax and Adiabene, fiefs of the only 
kingdom that had successfully maintained its independence of 
Roman supremacy ; and which was besides, actually a rival 
power to that conquering empire. The highest ecclesiastical 
authorities of the Gentile nations, represented by the seven 
Magian princes acknowledged this child to be the Great Deliv- 
erer, whose advent had been foretold and expected by the nations 
from remotest ages of antiquity. 

The crowning misfortune in Herod’s estimation as he sat 
alone and reviewed all these things, was that this child, this 
lesat Nassar, must needs be born in Judea, of parents who were 
the children of proselytes to Judaism. Since he was a scion of 




ilfeROD WAS TROUBLED. 


I07 

the royal families of Adiabene and Kharax, and was born in the 
Jewish faith at Judea the Romans might consider it good policy 
to conciliate and make firmer their alliance with the rival power 
by appointing lesat Nassar, son of the Lady Marya, to be King 
of the Jews when Herod the Great should die. 

All the Jews who were discontented with the rule of the 
Asmoneans, and those who are still opposed to our family will 
surely flock to the standard of this new claimant for authority, 
and perchance accept him as the Messiah, soliloquised Herod in 
despair. And then what chances will I have against him, if he 
should be supported by the religious enthusiasm of Jews and 
Gentiles, as well as be backed by the political power of Rome 
and Parthia combined. I can accomplish nothing in this matter 
alone ; but must consult with my most faithful adherents. 

When Herod had decided to take counsel with his trusted 
partners, he did not commit the error of visiting them or of 
inviting them to come to him. Such a course after his visit 
to the Magi would arouse curiosity and surmise. He did not 
wish that his actions should be watched and spied upon, or that his 
words should be listened to and retailed by the servants or any 
one else at the palace. He had never been ostentatious in his 
coming and going like his brothers, as he preferred to be regarded 
a man of piety and simple tastes, more devoted to the study of 
sacred lore than ambitious for political power or display. Con- 
sequently, his frequent visits to obscure but reputedly pious priests 
and doctors of the law, had established for him a credit for hum- 
ble sanctity, and averted all suspicion of intrigues on his part. 

In the cool of the afternoon, and with a single attendant^ 
Herod left the palace as though to take the fresh air outside the 
city, by the eastern gate. He wended his way leisurely down 
the mountain to the Brook Kedron, where some boys were 
amusing themselves by paddling in the water and throwing stones 
across the stream. Herod stood and watched them awhile, then 


io8 


lESAT NASSAR. 


entered into conversation, asking one about his parents and 
another about his studies and schoolmaster. 

Oh, Rabbi Itzkhok is always well because he is always at 
school, said one chubby urchin, and there he is now sitting under 
yonder olive tree which is just beyond Amos the herdman’s 
house to the left. 

No, the master is very rarely well, spoke up a pale-faced lad. 
He is often very weary, and has great pains in the head. My 
father says that if the rabbi would fast less and eat and sleep 
more, he would enjoy good health. But our master is so pious 
and righteous that he fasts three times in the week, and reads the 
sacred writings every day till midnight. 

We will walk over and see the the rabbi ourselves, answered 
Herod; and then we will judge which boy has the quickest un- 
derstanding and love for his schoolmaster. 

Prince Herod left the boys, crossed the little stone bridge 
which spanned the brook, and walked slowly up the gentle slope 
on the other side till he reached the tree under which the school- 
master rested. 

Rabbi Itzkhok was one of the poor priests who eked out a 
living by teaching little boys. He was now ageing fast. During 
his whole life had been a devoted adherent of the Asmonean 
family, never refusing to perform any service for its benefit with 
zeal, no matter at what risk to himself. Being honest, and utterly 
lacking the quality of aggressiveness in his nature, he failed to 
use his usefulness to the party as a means to further his own ad- 
vancement in life; always hoping and believing that when the 
Asmoneans recovered the kingdom they would bid him come up 
higher in grateful remembrance of his fidelity to their cause. 
But they who used him, found him far too faithful and blind a 
subordinate to allow his escape from dangerous services of which 
they stood in need, by promoting him to any office in which, ac- 
cording to his modest ambition, he could spend the rest of his 
days in peace. So Rabbi Itzkhok, the son of Jerimiah, con- 


HEROD WAS TROUBLED. IO9 

tinued to be a humble schoolmaster in the village of Siloam ; 
and it was to entrust him with the performance of a service, that 
Herod walked outside the city that afternoon at an hour when 
the teacher would be free from school duty. 

Peace be unto you, said Herod, as he approached ; and how 
is your health, Rabbi ? One of your pupils yonder told us you 
were well, while another said that you suffered frequently. 
Therefore, desiring to know the truth about your welfare, we came 
up this way. 

Thank you, my lord, for your interest in me, replied Itzk- 
hok ; but as I am getting old in years I cannot expect to have 
the health and strength of youth, even if I were not obliged to 
labor for my daily bread. 

So much the more are you deserving the recompense of the 
righteous. For all men know that your labors by day do in no 
wise prevent your pious studies at night. May good fortune 
bring you days of prosperity speedily. And since we know not 
what a day may bring to pass, so deliverance from labor and 
care may come to you sooner than we expect them. 

You always bring me words of cheer, my Prince, replied the 
old man, brightening ; but tell us the news, and the truth about 
the strange tidings of which all men are speaking. They say 
that all the Gentile rulers of the earth have sent their high 
priests with rich offerings to worship in our Holy Temple. 
Surely the reign of Messiah is very nigh if the seventy-seven 
kings of the heathen desire to become Jews. 

After a slight and almost imperceptible hesitation, Herod 
answered : I have seen the priest princes who have come from 
the lands of the Gentiles, and have spoken with them. They 
verily bring strange tidings, which they learned in the stars, of 
the birth of one in Judea who is to become a great lord over all 
men. But they reveal not the whole matter. Therefore, my 
good friend, you can render us a very important service if you 
send word to Judas, the son of Eskias, and to our cousins, Joseph, 


no 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the son of Mathias, and Bar Abas, that after to-morrow, about 
the second hour of morning, I will ride out to take the air by the 
well that is under the sycamore, near the apple orchards of 
Bethany. I would request your presence likewise, but that I 
fear your absence from school might arouse suspicion, and cause 
spies to be set upon us. I invite you instead to my apartments 
in the palace next Sabbath day, when we shall read those 
passages that teach which signs will herald the Messiah of 
Israel ; and you will aid me to compare them with the present 
events. 

My lord, I will not fail to do your bidding in all things, re- 
plied the honest old dupe. Although most anxious to learn more 
about the wonderful rumor, Itzkhok knew that he must wait 
patiently till the coming Sabbath, and also perchance to ascertain 
the business about which the three men were to meet Herod 
under the sycamore. 

Herod was not surprised either at the exaggeration or con- 
struction put upon the object of the the visit of the Magi to 
Jerusalem. He also knew that it was for his own interest and 
that of his partners that the people be encouraged to continue in 
a state of constant excitement caused by expectations of great 
changes that should revolutionize society. Such changes, the 
crafty leaders had taught their people to believe, would bring 
them boundless temporal prosperity, with entire freedom from 
labor of any kind; because the belief that such an era could be 
hastened by their own endeavors, rendered the unthinking masses 
pliant and blind tools. These leaders, had, however, a supreme 
contempt for the dense ignorance that could believe such a state 
of things possible to bring about in this world. 

When Herod arrived at the appointed place, he found his 
three confederates reclining at their ease under the tree. They 
hailed him as he rode slowly along, and invited him to rest with 
them under the shade of the sycamore. Herod dismounted, and 
his attendant joined the servants of his friends who were sitting 


HEROD WAS TROUBLED. 


HI 


in the shade of a group of olive trees near by, and looking after 
their masters’ horses. 

When Herod had related all that passed during his visit to 
the Magi, Judas said: This is a very serious matter. We have 
no need of any proselyte Messiah. A Gentile monarch who ad- 
heres to his own creed can always be found to serve us as a 
temporal Messiah, whenever we have need of one and can use 
him with profit to ourselves. Every Gentile monarch has aspired, 
and will probably continue to aspire, to act the role of a benefac- 
tor or a “ Great Deliverer.” But since they cannot save their 
own nations from the burdens of the State, such kings are al- 
ways ready to become saviours of the people upon whose sup- 
port they can rely only by conferring unlimited protection and 
privileges. Therefore, by judicious management, a Gentile ruler 
can always be made to serve us as a Deliverer from uncongenial 
labor and from taxation, and add to our prosperity by increasing 
the taxes on his own people for our benefit. Just so they have 
been influenced to act by our wise men, from Cyrus and Alexan- 
der the Great to the present time. But a proselyte in a position 
of authority must of necessity become initiated further than is 
convenient for us. We have an example in your father, Herod 
the Great. He remits part of the taxes to the people > he builds 
and beautifies cities to give them employment, and, as he says, 
also to civilize them. But, when we travel to collect a little tax 
from the Aam-Haratheen (the laity of the Jewish people) then he 
calls us robbers and rebels, and executes us as such. I have no 
objection to his generosity to the people; but what right has he, 
a proselyte, to interfere with our ancient privileges to levy upon 
the common people of our own race? Further and worse: 
Herod the Great will not make raids upon the Gentiles, nor suffer 
us to do so. This is sufficient proof that a proselyte will always 
sympathize with his own race ; and, therefore, no proselyte, nor 
son of proselytes, can ever be a Messiah to us. 

Thou hast said it, and thj words are full of wisdom and 


II2 


lESAT NASSAR. 


righteous zeal, spoke up Joseph, the son of Mathias, who was a 
priest of Asmonean family. The Jews have us ; and our princes 
have ruled them since the days of Judas Maccabeus. We have 
ever been ready to incite and raise a rebellion against foreign 
rule, as well as to exact unlimited privileges from our conquerors. 
We must not permit the people to look for any Deliverer, except 
one out of the family of the Asmoneans. 

Said Herod: If such be your mind, you must see to it that 
this child be removed out of Judea, if not out of the world. It 
was to take counsel how we might’ safely accomplish such a 
deed that I desired to meet you here. I fear that subtlety will 
not avail us in this affair. Nothing but force — sudden, unex- 
pected and seemingly accidental — can get possession of the 
child. 

An accident for which no one can be held responsible, eh. 
Cousin Herod? laughed Bar Abas. Well, here is Judas, who is 
impatient to avenge the execution of his father, Ezkias, as a rob- 
ber. He is also longing for the governorship of Galilee, which 
you promised to give him on your accession to the throne of 
Solomon. I burn to avenge the exile and death of my father; 
besides which I long to hasten the time when I shall be called 
Tetrarch of Idumaea, instead of a robber outlaw. You, are in 
duty bound not to forget that your mother and two brothers did 
not die a natural death. Besides, although you now are virtually 
King of the Jews, it will be more agreeable to you to become 
such in name also. To this, your father’s life is obstacle enough 
without the addition of this child of an alien race. Our friend 
and kinsman, Joseph, is quite prepared to enter on the office of 
High Priest, when you sit on the throne. For all these reasons, 
none of us owe allegiance to Herod the Great; nor are we bound 
to preserve the peace for him in the kingdom during his absence. 

There must be much money and treasure in and around 
Bethlehem since the beginning of the enrollment. For the people 
who came from other parts of the country to get their title deeds, 


HEROD WAS troubled. II3 

brought not only mone)', but also jewels for safe keeping, sug- 
gested Joseph, the Asmonean. 

Now, what is the use of increasing words about the matter? 
said Bar Abas. Our friend Judas is regarded as a great patriot 
and a righteous man, since he began to teach that for a Jew sub- 
mission to taxing by Caesar is unlawful, although tithes paid 
to himself is exceedingly meritorious. Some of the stiff-necked 
among the people do not agree with him, and prefer to pay to 
Caesar, who, they claim, guarantees them safety and peace 
in their avocations. Such, therefore, must be punished for 
faithlessness to Israel. Judas and I will gather our bands and 
descend suddenly upon the outskirts and suburbs of Bethlehem, 
where some of the inhabitants owe us tithes that we imposed 
upon them. This child, whom the Magi came to worship, can 
disappear during the general disturbance. But if we remove this 
obstacle that stands in the way of your accession to the throne. 
Cousin Herod, you must not claim a portion of the spoil as you 
have done at other times. 

Only be sure to kill the child, and besides dividing what spoil 
you get among yourselves, I will pay you the cost of the raid, 
exclaimed Prince Herod with eagerness. But beware of too 
much greed. Bar Abas ; and keep not the child alive for ransom, 
for that might betray us all, and our lives would pay the penalty. 
If the child dies, we are safe ; and in the generations to come 
the blame for the deed will fall upon Herod the Idumean, whom 
men call the Great, and of whom it is already said that he will 
suffer none to live who may cause the kingdom to pass from him 
or his son. Antipater. 

How soon shall we descend upon them ? asked Bar Abas. 

Not until the Magi and their retainers have departed, and 
also the shepherds; for they are all men of war, and many in 
number. Therefore, assemble your bands in some secluded val- 
ley not far from Bethlehem, where we can send you word when 
the Magi shall have gone away. 


8 


114 


lESAT NASSAU. 


We can assemble our followers at En-giddi, in the caves 
where you have often visited us. I will tarry with my body 
guard in the cave of Adullam. Judas, with some of his men, 
must stay in Bethlehem, where they can ascertain which of the 
dwellings in the outskirts harbor rich strangers. When the time 
comes, send me word to the cave, and I will summon the men 
from En-giddi. Then we will swoop down like eagles on the prey, 
and reassemble at En-giddi when we have completed our work. 

To Joseph was allotted the task of cleverly spreading a report 
among his colleagues that the Romans had combined with the 
Parthians to substitute a Gentile priesthood for their Jewish 
hierarchy and to set an alien priest king on the throne ; and 
that to accomplish this purpose easily the Magi had come to the 
Holy City to lure, by magical arts, the people of the Jews from 
their lawful allegiance. 

When they had completed the plan of attack, Herod and his 
confederates separated, agreeing to meet again in Jericho at the 
end of two weeks if they should have made the raid during that 
interval of time. As they rose to take leave of each other, the 
attendants stood up to lead their masters’ horses forward. Several 
boys who had been playing around, and exchanging village news 
for city tidings with the men, now scattered. But one of the 
bo3/S, unnoticed by the rest, swiftly climbed into a large, leafy 
tree that stood near the road towards the southwest, and stretch- 
ing himself at full length along a stout branch, lay perfectly mo- 
tionless and quiet. 

The confederates under the sycamore did not take their de- 
parture at the same time. Herod and Joseph left first, and rode 
together until they reached the Mount of Olives, where their 
roads diverged. The prince returned to Jerusalem, Avhile the 
priest travelled towards Bethor. A little later, Judas bade Bar 
Abas farewell, and went back to Bethany, where he had come 
ostensibly to negotiate for the hire of certain gardens for the 
summer season. 


ilEROi) WAS TROUBLED. 


IIS 

Bar Abas, left alone under the sycamore, began to review the 
plan of campaign. I wonder, he mused, whether we shall be 
any more successful in this attempt than we were in that affair of 
Yohanan. I now remember that after we had agreed on our 
action, and I was alone, a sudden premonition of failure flashed 
across my mind. Strange that the same kind of presentiment 
has come to me since my partners departed. Let Herod say 
what he will about a firm will and subtle mind being the only 
factors necessary to control the destiny of any one you desire to 
master, or to put out of the way. I have experienced some- 
times that the agency of a more powerful will and clearer intelli- 
gence interposes, seemingly quite accidentally, at the last moment, 
and thwarts the most perfect plans from being carried out. Can 
it be possible that there is such an arrangement as unchangeable 
fate ? Or is it the interposition of the Almighty, who inspires 
men and women at the critical moment to some action that shall 
protect his favored ones from harm ? Poor Lady Marya ! She is 
a most beautiful and good woman ; and I pity her. But why 
would she not marry that Yohanan, or some other son of Judah^s 
race, and thus have saved herself and us all this trouble. How- 
ever, if we fail in this attempt I shall not be tempted to cross her 
path a third time ; for the soothsayers always bid us beware of 
the third trouble. 

Finally, Bar Abas rose, stretched himself, arranged his 
Arabian cloak and head scarf carefully, and walked leisurely to 
where the attendants had waited with the horses. Three men 
waited for him, but these evidently were trusty confederates of 
the young robber chief. 

Well chief, asked one. Is there profit in it this time ? 

Whatever we get will be our own. There will be no giving 
away of the largest share, replied Bar Abas. And Herod has 
guaranteed the costs in any event. 

On whom do we levy tribute, inquired another, first looking 
around cautiously to see that no strangers were within hearing. 

' I I 


lESAT NASSAU. 


Il6 

Outskirts and coast of Bethlehem, replied Bar Abas brusquely. 

But hearken, Oh Chief, Bar Abas, spoke the third man, an 
Arabian, who seemed superior to the other two. Tell me, why 
it is that Herod, now your king, exacts not a portion of the spoil 
at this time when he needeth to double his outlay, but is surety 
for payment unto us instead. Count me no partner in this raid 
before I know what he is to gain by this business. For with 
such a proposal from him as thou hast told us, his interest in the 
expedition must be very great indeed. 

Oh Friends, replied Bar Abas in cautious and conciliatory 
tones. Since you must know the truth before we descend upon 
them, so that you may give right instructions to your men : know 
now that the profit of my cousin Herod is the death of a child 
whom he fears as a rival for the kingdom in the future. And this 
Child is to be found at the Deyar. 

The men uttered an exclamation of surprise; and the Arabian 
exclaimed with horror. By the fear of the Deity ! There is no 
blessing in such profits that are obtained by the shedding of the 
blood of an innocent child. I love not to slay defenceless chil- 
dren: and if he must be removed let us carry him away; and 
when danger of his rivalry shall have passed we can free him for 
heavy ransom. 

The others laughed contemptuously as they answered: The 
parents and retainers will fight fiercely enough for its life. So 
thou needest not to pain thy head that the child will be defence- 
less. 

In regard to ransom, said Bar Abas, the conditions are, that 
no ransom, however great will enough for it. So it will be more 
prudent that it be slain through seeming accident rather than by 
intent. Also, in order that we may be able to accomplish this 
business unmolested, Herod will so manage, that the few Roman 
soldiers now in Bethlehem shall be sent away at the time to quell 
some disturbance which will be raised in an opposite direction 
from the Deyar, by Sadduc the partner of Judas. 


HEROD WAS TROUBLED. 1 17 

The confederates then mounted their horses, and rode away 
towards the south. But when they had disappeared from view, 
the boy in the tree climbed down cautiously. After scanning the 
surrounding ground to make sure that no one was within hearing 
or sight he took up a stone, and throwing it in the direction taken 
by the robbers, exclaimed: Oh ye sons of the transgression! 
May the Almighty cause you all to be slain. But ye shall not 
harm our Lord of Light. Then the lad started to walk towards 
Jerusalem. 

It was known to Simeon the Essene, that Prince Herod pro- 
fessed respect for the piety and learning of Ratbi Itzkhok, and 
also that the schoolmaster was a zealous and diligent, though 
secret partizan of the Asmoneans. Therefore, after Herod’s visit 
to the Magi Simeon had sent his young man, Fidus, to the Es- 
sene, Vahtvo, who lived in Siloam, to bid him watch, whether 
Herod would have any personal communication with the school- 
master within a few days, or if the rabbi should visit the prince. 
The expected meeting took place; and Valha the son of Vahtvo, 
had been among the boys playing at the Brook Kedron when 
Herod had stopped to talk to some of them. 

Then the Lord Simeon became convinced that some treach- 
ery would be planned and perpetrated. He told Fidus to watch 
the movements of Prince Herod in the city ; while Vahtvo, and 
his boy Valha, would take note of all who came to have con- 
verse with the schoolmaster in Siloam, and of any messengers he 
might dispatch. 

Early on the morning of the third day after Herod’s visit to 
Rabbi Itzkhok, the boy Valha saw him riding out of the Eastern 
gates of the city, and watched the prince till he wended his way 
up the Mount of Olives : when he immediately followed at a 
prudent distance to avoid suspicion. When Herod dismounted 
at the sycamore the lad joined some boys who were playing in 
the orchards; and with them amused and entertained the at- 
tendants of the party under the olive trees. At the same time 


ii8 


lESAT NASSAR. 


he kept his eyes and ears open for some chance word or action 
that should betray the object of this meeting. It was Valhawho 
later hid himself in the tree, and overheard enough of the con- 
versation between Bar Abas and his partners to understand that 
the life of the Blessed Child was in danger. 

Lord scatter the enemies, 

And make them fall. 

Confound their politics, 

Frustrate their knavish tricks: 

On thee our hopes we fix, 

God save us all. 

— British National Hymn, 


See Appendix corresponding chap. IX. 


FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 


II9 


CHAPTER X. 


FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 

The night was advanced, and the Lady Mary a with all the 
women of the household had long retired to rest. The men had 
lingered, because a number of Shepherds who were to set out on 
their journey southwards with their flocks at daybreak had as- 
sembled at the Deyar. 

A loud knocking at the castle gates brought a watchman to 
the iron grated window above the portal. Ascertaining the per- 
sonality of the messenger that demanded entrance he called to 
the guard below who admitted Fidus through the wicket gate. 

I bring word from the Lord Simeon to the Master, Youseph 
Pandar. Therefore conduct me immediately to his presence, 
said the messenger. 

It is late, replied the guard, and the Master hath retired to 
the private apartments of his guests with the princes. It may 
be he sleepeth already. 

Even if he dreameth I must have speech of him without de- 
lay, and I will waken him if ye will not. 

The matter being urgent, another of the guards was sum- 
moned who conducted, the messenger to the chamber where 
Youseph slept, and knocked softly on the door till his master 
woke and opened it. 

Seeing Fidus, Youseph exclaimed. My Son, how is it with the 
Lord Simeon ; is all well? I was but now troubled in my sleep, 
for I dreamt that he called me with a loud and warning voice. 

I have brought a message from my lord which I must deliver 
to you in private. Master, said Fidus as he entered. 

Youseph bade the guard wait in the corridor, and closed the 
door. Then Fidus, in low tones, related all that had been seen 
and heard of Herod and his confederates. 


120 


lESAT NASSAR. 


What doth the Lord Simeon counsel us to do ? 

My lord thought to come in person in the morning and speak 
of the matter with you and the Magi, and with our Lady Marya 
and your honorable mother. But at the third hour of the night 
word was brought to him that Biriz-Hadri, the chief of the shep- 
herds would travel with the dawn. Therefore he sent me with 
all haste unto you, to say that he adviseth that you take our 
Lady Marya with the Holy Child into Egypt immediately, which 
can be done if you depart with Biriz-Hadri. He also counsels 
that ye tarry in Egypt while among our people ; because the 
highways towards the north will continue to be infested with rob- 
bers until the taxings shall be completed. 

As a mark of honor to the venerable chief of the Magi, You- 
seph Bandar slept in the ante-chamber of the apartment allotted 
to that distinguished guest. He now drew aside the rich hang- 
ings at the entrance and went in. There was a dim, soft light 
inside, and the priest-prince was already awake, having been 
aroused by the knocking and sound of voices. When the aged 
prince heard of the threatened danger he proposed that the parents 
with the child should travel with the Magi. But on reflection, 
he abandoned that plan as he thought that the company might 
be waylaid in some narrow gorge or mountain-pass, where the 
robbers would have the advantage of the situation. 

My Son, waken Biriz-Hadri and Ywissa, said the prince, and 
let us consult with them before we alarm the Lady Marya. 

When Biriz-Hadri came he suggested that the Lady Marya 
with the Holy child should start with the shepherds that night, 
and that Youseph remain behind to avert suspicion. 

Ywissa had listened with the keenest attention and in silence. 
She now said : neither you nor our Lady Marya ought to depart ; 
for your absence would become known. Herod’s assassins would 
certainly follow swiftly and slay the child even more easily than 
they could reach him here. 

You speak words pf wisdom sister^ said Biriz-Hadri, and yet 


FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 


I2I 


it will also be impossible, in the disturbed state of the country, 
to guard the child here from the snares that will be spread for 
his life. I could take our young lord with me ; but that I fear 
he will fret for his mother. 

Fear not, answered Ywissa. I now remember that the Lady 
Salome hath often spoken to the household of her intention to 
travel to Egypt to visit the family of her uncle. Haleemie, the 
widow, would accompany her as her waiting woman. I have 
been preparing for some time to visit a relative who resides in 
Hebron, and therefore our departure with the shepherds will be 
regarded as a safe opportunity for three women to travel under 
adequate protection. We will take the Blessed Child with us, 
and no one need know that he is not with his mother in the pri- 
vate apartments. Let the Lady Marya tarry in her rooms with 
the Lady Trywa only for two days ; by which time we shall, the 
Lord willing, be beyond the reach of the murderous Herod. 

After some further debate it was agreed that a secret and im- 
mediate departure was the best means whereby to ensure the 
safety of the child. I'he Lady Salome with Haleemie and 
Ywissa who were to take charge of young Prince lesat were all 
to wear the large, flowing cloak and head gear of shepherds. 
Thus disguised they could start at the dawn of day with the com- 
pany of Diriz-Hadri and their flocks. The route of travel was to 
be by way of Hebron to Gaza on the Sea. At that place they 
were to embark on board a ship for Alexandria, and while in 
Alexandria they would stay with the family of the Lady Trywa’s 
brother who was a Therapeutic of great fame until the arrival cf 
the Magi who would journey that way a few days later. 

To avoid arousing the curiosity of the guards which might 
accidentally prove disastrous to the enterprise, Biriz-Hadri re- 
turned to his couch, and Ywissa went alone to the women’s part 
of the castle. There she gently awakened the Ladies Marya, 
Trywa and Salome ; and when she had informed them of all that 


122 


lESAT NASSAR. 


had happened, the women quickly and noiselessly made the 
necessary preparations. 

When the morning star shone brightly in the sky, and the 
shepherds with their flocks began their march southwards, Biriz- 
Hadri came out into the great open court carrying the sleeping 
child, lesat Nassar, in his arms, under his large cloak of Persian 
lambskins. 

Accompanied by a small but select band of fearless warriors 
disguised as shepherds, Biriz-Hadri with the Child and the 
Lady Salome, Ywissa and Heleemie were soon mounted on 
thoroughbred Arabian horses, and rode away in the quiet dawn. 

On the journey, the Holy Child often called for his mother; 
but the women comforted him, and his brave body-guard of war- 
riors not only deeply reverenced, but also tended and petted him 
as gently as any tender woman. 

The party reached Gaza-on-the-Sea in perfect safety, and 
took ship for Egypt. A swift and trustworthy messenger had 
carried the tidings of the coming of the women. So when the 
ship arrived at Alexandria, they were met on board by severaLof 
the prominent Therapeuti ; among whom was a brother of one 
of the seven IMagi. The message had been so worded that the 
whole party mentioned were but the escort and guard of one 
who, though not spoken of, was yet the chief of them all. 

The Magi tarried for three days longer at the Deyar, during 
which, strict orders had been given to the guards not to allow 
strangers to enter the castle under any pretext whatever. At 
midnight of the third day, when the moon rose, the priest-princes 
and their followers departed in tlie stillness and silence of the 
night, taking the same route as the shepherds had done. At 
Alexandria, the venerable chief of the Magi with several of his col- 
leagues took ship for Berytus ; and from that city they journeyed 
on to their own country. But they took the young Prince lesat 
Nassar with them, as also Ywissa and Haleemie; it having been 


FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 1 23 

decided that Youseph Pandar with the Lady Marya should follow 
later. 

The day after the departure of the Magi, Judas^ spies brought 
him word that the distinguished guests and their armed retainers 
were no longer at the Deyar. They had seen the mule train 
depart in charge of the servants, but no warriors being visible 
about the castle grounds, the spies concluded that they must 
have gone to Jerusalem in the early morning. 

When by diligent search and inquiries made by his servants 
Herod ascertained that the Magi had indeed departed, but by a 
route of which he knew naught, ^he became exceedingly angry at 
their manifest distrust of, and contempt for his suave professions, 
expressed by the silence and private departure of the noble vis- 
itors. He sent for Judas Ezkias and bade him order Bar Abas 
to lose no time, but to hasten and make sure that the son of 
Marya be slain, even if he had to kill all the male children of the 
retainers of the proselytes, on and around the lands of the Deyar, 
as well as in Bethlehem. For, he added, their suspicions must 
have become aroused somehow, and they may have sent the 
child to the house of some retainer who has young ones, for 
safety. 

I verily believe, said Judas, that these children of royal pros- 
elytes fear some one or something; because for some days past 
the guards have redoubled their vigilance, refusing all strangers 
admittance to the castle, and warning them off the grounds. 
They have also been more than usually cautious and evasive in 
their conversation since the arrival of the Magi at the Deyar, 
though that might be on account of the great and rich treasures 
they are reputed to have brought with them. 

Early the next morning Judas Ezkias, who himself was on 
the watch, saw Lady Marya and Youseph Pandar with a few 
attendants leave the Deyar, and ascertained that they were going 
to Jerusalem for the day. But there was no child with them. 
He mounted his fleetest horse which he had left in a little grove 


124 


lESAT NASSAR. 


of olive trees near by, and almost flew in the ^direction of the 
cave of Adnllam. He soon reached the place where the robber 
bands v/ere assembled, and prepared to start on the raid at a 
moment’s notice. 

Judas informed Bar Abas that he had seen Youseph and 
Mary a ride away in a chariot to Jerusalem, without the child. 

So much the better, said Bar Abas. I am not as righteous 
as my blessed grandfather was in the performance of ceremonial 
deeds of merit, prescribed by our holy laws, but I do not like to 
slay a child in the mother’s presence, even if she be of Gentile 
race. 

Judas laughed loudly. His grandmother, the Lady Trywa, 
is at the Deyar. I saw her at the castle gate when her son and 
daughter-in-law mounted the chariot. Perchance you will object 
to slay the sacrifice in her presence? 

I hate the woman, replied Bar Abas vehemently. She is a 
subtle Greek; and if it were not for her influence and moral 
support, that deluded fool, the Queen Helena, would have 
sooner or later worried the Lady Marya into a marriage with a 
son of Judah’s race. Then — oh well, much discontent and 
trouble would have been avoided. 

Judas scanned him keenly, but knew that it would not profit 
him to ask further questions. However he felt convinced that 
the young outlaw had suffered some galling disappointment 
which he attributed to the Lady Trywa’s interference. 

After receiving their orders, the assassins rode away in small 
parties, that were to approach the Deyar from different points 
and surround it and the adjacent fields and farms. They were 
instructed to dismount and lie concealed among the surrounding 
rocks and groves till they heard the signal, which was to be the 
imitation of the crowing of a cock about an hour after noon. At 
that time of the day an attack would be least expected, as the 
laborers rest in the shade, often without even the tools of hus- 
bandry with which to resist an attack by armed men. The 


PLIGHT INTO, EGYPT. 


12 $ 


robbers had been instructed to rush into the dwellings with 
drawn daggers, to seize the young children, demand an enormous 
ransom that was to be paid on the spot, and stab the child if a 
male. The greatest reward to be his who should slay the young 
lesat Nassar, son of the Lady Mary a. That assured, they could 
accept ransom for the rest, but not unless the young prince had 
been slain beyond the possibility of a doubt. 

All these orders were implicitly obeyed and carried out with 
fiendish details. The tears and prayers of the terrified mothers 
for the lives of their little ones were not heeded. They would 
not believe even the Lady Trywa when she swore a solemn oath 
that the son of Lady Marya was not even in the country. The 
assassins became only more- infuriated that they Avere not able to 
identify the young prince whom each robber sought as his special 
prey. Therefore they slaughtered all the little boys of two years 
and under, but accepted as ransom, for the lives of the little girls 
all the money and jewels they could get. 

By the time the men on the lands had gathered and come to 
the rescue, the massacre had been accomplished. The attack 
was so unexpected, and the assassins Avere so numerous that they 
seemed to have sprung out of the ground as they swarmed 
rapidly over the premises. Some of the robbers were wounded, 
and a few were killed, but they were quickly carried away by 
their comrades; and in a short time the raiders disappeared in 
different directions as quickly as they had come. Several 
assassins, more brutal than the others, were not content Avith the 
ransom eagerly offered by the distracted mothers, but tore off 
the jeAvels worn by the girls and women, lacerating their ears, 
arms and necks, and mocking at their distress and cries of pain. 

The afternoon sun was declining when a messenger arrived 
in haste at the Palace Grapte, Avhither Youseph and Marya had 
gone preparatory to their journey for the north. 

Alas 1 Alas ! axclaimed the Lady Marya, as she Avept bitterly 
on hearing of the murders committed at the Deyar. We believed 


126 


lESAt NAsSAfe. 


all would now be well. How could we have forseen that the 
robbers would wantonly slay the children of our retainers. 

With Youseph Pandar, and a guard of friends and retainers 
from the city, the Lady Marya returned without delay to the 
Deyar. She wept sorely when she beheld the bodies of ’the 
slaughtered innocents; and with their own hands Lady Marya 
and the Lady Trywa prepared the little ones for burial. They 
ministered to, and comforted the afflicted ones, and at the end of 
the seven days of mourning took the bereaved families with them 
to the north, that they might not be continually grieved by the 
sorrowful associations of the Deyar. 

Praise for Thine infant martyrs, by Thee with tenderest love 
Called early from the warfare to share the rest above. 

Oh Mothers! cease your weeping, they rest from pains and care. 

Lord grant us hearts as guileless, and crowns as bright as theirs. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. X. 


JfiSUS IN THE LANt) OF ISRAEL. 


127 


CHAPTER XI. 


JESUS IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL. 

When the Lady Mary a arrived at Berytus, she found her little 
son in good health and safe. 

Belassar, the Chief of the Magi, advised Youseph Pandar to 
take the child with his mother, to Assur, the ancient capital of 
Lady Marya’s ancestors, and to make it their home until it should 
be safe to revisit Herod’s dominions. 

Because, noble and beloved daughter, he added, addressing 
the Lady Mary a, the kingdom of Herod hath been in a state of 
continual disturbance since the time that Caesar issued the de- 
cree for the readjustment of the land. This gave those leaders 
who live by open robbery or legalized forms of plunder, the op- 
portunity to exercise their lawless and other tyranical avocations 
with boldness, under the plea of patriotic struggle for the estab- 
lishment of Jewish theocracy. Herod the Great is an old man, 
in ill health, and broken hearted by all the treachery and enmity 
with which he is surrounded in his domestic relations. His death 
will be but the signal for greater disorders and seditious out- 
rages ; as the Asmoneans will continue to conspire and labor for 
the overthrow of any and all the other sons of Herod who may 
inherit the kingdom of their father. 

Belassar himself resided at Assur the greater portion of the 
year. Therefore, when the Lady Marya had taken counsel with 
the Lady Trywa and Youseph Pandar, they all agreed that a . 
residence under the direct and watchful care of that venerable 
and powerful ecclesiastic and prince would ensure greater safety 
against the machinations of assassins than a legion of soldiers. 
So lesat (Jesus) Nassar was brought up and educated at Assur 
until he was twelve years of age. 

As a scion of the royal families of Kharax and Adiabene, 


128 


lESAT NASSAR, 


Jesus Nassar was instructed by the Magi in all the sciences known 
to them. As the grandchild of proselytes to Judaism, his studies 
in Jewish sacred literature were entrusted to the care of Rabbi 
Yehoshua Ben Parakhai, a famous doctor of law. 

Even in early childhood he was not satisfied with merely 
learning the lessons given him by his teachers, but all things, 
whether perceived through his outward senses or by his inner 
consciousness, were to him subjects of study and research. 
Possessed of keen perception and an unceasing longing for more 
knowledge, every phase of life within and around Jesus Nassar 
contributed to the development of his spiritual nature. To ac- 
quire wisdom was to him a constant delight, whether working 
under his tutors, or at play with his comrades. Inheriting a 
clean, healthful physique from generations of patrician ancestors 
who had not weakened nor polluted soul and body by extrava- 
gant indulgence or vice, the noble boy possessed a superlative 
intellect, and excelled in all things that he undertook, whether 
work or play. 

The riverside was a favorite play ground with the boys of 
Assur. One day Jesus Nassar was at play with a number of his 
comrades and other lads by the stream, and they had dug little 
puddles to which they conducted Avater from the river by chan- 
nels, and called them fi*sh pools. The children were fond of 
modelling sparrows and other animals out of moist clay. This 
time Jesus Nassar brought in his pockets a number of simple 
but ingenious mechanisms that he had made and which, when 
fastened under the clay figures, caused them to hop. When the 
other boys placed their toys round the little pools, as though 
leading their cattle to water, Jesus Nassar also ranged his spar- 
rows, equipped with the little motors. 

It happened to be the Jewish Sabbath. On this day hoAV- 
ever, innocent recreations in moderation were allowed by Jewish 
law. After the synagogue service of the morning the remainder 
of the day Avas spent in rest or in peaceful pleasures, such as 


JESUS IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL, 1 29 

visiting friends and relatives, or a short walk in the fresh air, and 
games for the children. 

As Jesus Nassar was playing with his comrades, Yohanan, 
the son of Rabbi Seth, passed by. He had removed to this part 
of the country when the Lady Marya’s betrothal to Youseph 
Pandar had become public, to escape from the gibes and taunts 
of his Judean friends at the failure of his suit. He had soon after 
married the daughter of an influential and learned Rabbi of those 
parts: for the Jews had settled here in large numbers, and had 
managed to get such a large control of the business interests of 
Adiabene that Jewish historians spoke and wrote of it as the 
Land of Israel.’^ 

Yohanan was accompanied by his eldest son Eleazar, a boy 
of a most envious and malicious disposition, and already almost 
as consummate a hypocrite as his father. Coming up to the 
group of boys at play, he rudely said: What mean you by thus 
making figures of clay on the Sabbath ? Then he proceeded to 
kick and demolish the little figures and the pools. 

But Jesus Nassar clapped his hands and laughed, saying: 
Run, run away, oh my sparrows ! 

The concussion caused by the clapping, set the little motors 
in motion and the little toys began to hop. 

The cowardly Eleazar, pale with terror and rage, snatched a 
long bough from a willow tree, and with it scattered the water of 
the little lake made by Jesus Nassar. At the same time he 
muttered viciously : Thus may thy life vanish, thou Gentile and 
sorcerer. 

But, replied Jesus Nassar. Why dost thou destroy our work^ 
Eleazar ? What harm can our pools do thee ? If it be a pro- 
fanation of the Sabbath to make these pools and clay figures, it 
must be equal profanation to destroy them; since that is also labor. 

Then Eleazar yelled to the other boys : Don’t play with the 
sorcerer, lest he turn you into inanimate clay even as he ani- 
mated the clay sparrows. 


9 


130 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Some of the boys who had been playing with Jesus Nassar 
became frightened; for they had been trained in superstitious 
awe of the unknown. They immediately attributed this mech- 
anism which they could not understand to the direct agency of 
the devil ; especially as Eleazar, the son of such a learned 
Rabbi, declared it to be so. They quit the play-ground, and 
ran home to describe with many exaggerations the scene they 
had witnessed. 

Although well versed in their own sacred lore which teems 
with accounts of most senseless miracles, the parents of the boys 
were densely ignorant of science. They warned their sons to be 
very careful when they played with Jesus Nassar, and never to 
offend him. For, they added, he might bewitch you if he should 
become angry. 

Yohanan went to Youseph Pandar to accuse Jesus Nassar. 
Behold thy son, he said, is playing by the river side, and has 
taken clay and formed it into sparrows, and profaneth the Sab- 
bath. 

From earliest childhood, Jesus Nassar had a great love for 
animals, who also instinctively recognized him as a friend to 
whom they would come to be petted, protected or fed, even when 
fleeing in terror from other children. He used to spend a large 
portion of his money in buying sparrows from boys who had 
caught and imprisoned the little birds. As soon as he bought 
them he would set them free, saying : Fly away sparrows, enjoy 
the life our Heavenly Father has given you. Avoid all snares, 
and remember me. 

The sparrows generally flew away with a loud and joyful 
chirp, which their captors construed into a promise made to their 
liberator. 

When the little traders told of these things at home, their 
parents allowed them to continue the traffic in sparrows, since 
they felt assured that the young prince would spend his money 
in what they designated as ‘‘some equally foolish manner.” 


JESUS IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL, 


But as they could not understand the principle of paying out 
money for what brought no corresponding value, the parents ap- 
plied for advice to Rabbi Yohanan, who, like his father Seth, had 
now become famed for knowledge in occult sciences. 

So this Jesus Nassar ranks himself with birds that are of no 
value to anybody else, except to sell to him ? He says : Our Father, 
and asks them to remember him! said Yohanan with a sneer. 
Well, since he is not a son of Judah’s race let him claim any 
Gentile deity he chooses, who may be the father of sparrows as 
well as his. But the children of Israel, the only ])egotten and 
well-beloved Son of God, must be guarded against the insiduous 
influences of this lad, who might bewitch our sons to believe that 
the Jehovah of Israel was the Father of the Gentiles as Vvell as 
of our race. Then indeed would he slay our children with a more 
effective weapon than the sword, since their souls would die to 
Judaism, and our holy religion be imperilled. 

But what can we do to avert such calamity ? questioned the 
now frightened parents anxiously. It were bad policy to forbid 
our children to have any dealing with him ; for that would offend 
his family who are kin to the rulers of this part of the Land of 
Israel. Besides, all of them are very generous to our people. 

Yohanan assured them that there would be no need to run 
such risks, and bade them instruct their children to close their 
ears and to repeat a certain formula whenever Jesus Nassar spoke 
to the sparrows or said any thing that was not about business or 
play, or in accordance with the teaching of the rabbis. This, he 
assured them, would act as a powerful charm against his magical 
arts, especially the closing of the ears. 

Sparrows and doves, the only birds that voluntarily make their 
homes where man has built cities, were special proteges of Jesus 
Nassar; and in later life he referred lovingly to those birds, 
using them as illustrations to teach noble and beautiful lessons : 
Be ye inoffensive as doves. ‘^Are not two sparrows sold for a 
farthing, and not one of them shall fall to the ground without 


132 


lESAT NASSAR. 


your Father; for not one of them is forgotten in the sight 
of God.” Fear not therefore. Ye are of more value than many 
sparrows. 

The Aryan Russians have, through the centuries, held the 
sparrow sacred to our Lord Jesus, and preserve a beautiful legend 
which says : When the elders and rulers of the Jews went about 
in triumph, and boasted that they had slain the Lord Jesus, and 
that the Saviour of the Christians was dead, the sparrows 
throughout the world contradicted that assertion by chirping : 
Jhiv ! Jhiv ! Jhiv! which signifies : He liveth ! he liveth ! And 
thus the sparrows remember Jesus, and spread the good news 
from that day to this ; for He had always loved them, and they 
love Him and rejoice that He liveth evermore.” 

Jewish boys were allowed to play at ball on the Sabbath day; 
but the distance to which they might throw the ball was restricted 
to four ells. 

One Sabbath day as Jesus Nassar was playing with his com- 
rades his ball overshot the prescribed distance. On this, some of 
the boys accused him to Rabbi Yehoshua, his tutor, of breaking 
the Sabbath law. But the old man held that such Sabbath re- 
strictions were necessary only to moderate the intemperate 
indulgences of those who will not be a law unto themselves. 
He replied that he would not believe that Jesus Nassar had 
intentionally profaned the Sabbath ; and knowing that the ac- 
cusation was made through envy of Jesus’ superior skill, he dis- 
missed the tale bearers, saying : Every one of you is jealous of 
Jesus Nassar, because he makes such great progress in his study 
of the Law, and therefore you invent all sorts of lies about him. 

Possessed of keen perception and a logical mind, Jesus Nas- 
sar frequently asked his Magian and Jewish tutors questions 
which showed clear reasoning faculties, a penetrating perception, 
a grand imaginative brain, and a keen analytical mind that would 
be content only with logical conclusions. Therefore although 
his questions sometimes puzzled those reverend teachers, he 


JESUS IN THE LAND OE ISRAEL. I33 

became a great favorite of men who were earnest seekers of the 
truth. 

His habits of observation and mental analysis were further 
developed by practical experiments that were intended to im- 
prove what already was known, or to discover the unknown. So 
during his leisure hours he was frequently found in the workshops 
of artizans, watching them as they worked, and asking questions 
about cause and effect. Intuitively he perceived where improve- 
ments and new results could be obtained, or mistakes be recti- 
fied. These ideas, he would suggest with the courtesy and mod- 
esty that proved him royal by innate nature, as well as by birth 
and breeding. 

There was a dyer called Kirman, who sometimes allowed 
Jesus Nassar to experiment with small quantities of dyes in his 
shop. 

Kirman, said the noble boy one day, why don’t you make 
some new colors for the cloth that you dye ? 

I use all the known dyes, and I don’t think any other colors 
could be produced, replied Kirman. 

Have you never tried by mixtures of various colors and 
shades, and admixtures of different drugs, as also other than the 
regular processes of drying ? 

No, my lord. For such experiments would probably waste 
my money in the purchase of what would spoil, not only the 
materials I use to make the mixture, but also the cloth. 

Well, Kirman, see here; said Jesus Nassar, getting out of his 
pockets where, boy like, he had kept what he intended as a sur- 
prise for the dyer. 

Kirman looked up from his work, and was astonished. For 
Jesus Nassar held in his hands some strips of cloth of beautiful 
shades and color, such as Kirman had never yet seen in any of 
the bazaars where there was an almost bewildering variety. 
When he found that these were the results of the noble boy’s own 
combinations and experiments, Kirman became anxious to learn. 


134 


iesXt nassar. 


and Jesus Nassar quite as eagerly and gladly showed how he 
had succeeded in making the new dyes. 

Kirman succeeded so well, that in a short time all the other 
dyers came to learn of him; and when he told them who had 
been his inspirer and teacher, the guild of dyers prayed per- 
mission to name Jesus Nassar their patron. Thus it came about 
that the Persians honor Jesus Nassar as their Patron, and call a 
dye house the Shop of Christ.” 

Although Jesus Nassar excelled all his comrades in study and 
games, yet he never exulted over them on that account ; but on 
the contrary he was always ready and eager to help them to at- 
tain the same skill. He always espoused the side of truth and 
justice, as well as of kindness and mercy, whether the party was 
rich or poor, weak or strong, of high degree or humble rank. 
So, on account of his noble, generous and joyous disposition, 
Jesus Nassar became a popular favorite among the Assur boys; 
and even the lads whose parents were reigning princes, invariably 
elected him to be their leader and director, in their games and 
other pastimes. 

One day in Spring, when the fields were full of flowers, and 
the boys were at play, they said : Let us make Jesus Nassar our 
King, and we shall be his courtiers and soldiers. 

So Jesus ranked them, each one according to his ability; but 
so kindly and wise was his discernment of each boy’s special fit- 
ness for the position to which he assigned him, that the lad was 
not only happy and contented, but became ambitious to do honor 
to his office. 

The ‘boys then spread their cloaks for Jesus the King, to sit 
upon; and put a crowm of flowers upon his head. Then they 
ranged themselves about him as guards; and the heralds pro- 
claimed that the King was ready to grant audience, and receive 
the salutations of his subjects. 

Parties of boys passing that way, were invited to join in 
the game, and accepted, saying, as they bowed before Jesus 


JESUS IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL. I35 

Nassar: Bless us, Oh, King Jesus Nassar, that we may have a 
prosperous way before us. 

In one of these groups came Eleazar, the son of Yohanan, 
with his inseparable companion, Caiaphas. These two boys, not 
only refused to salute Jesus, but reviled the Jewish boys who did 
so, saying: You wicked ones, why do you worship that Bagbag, 
i. e., descendant of proselytes on both father’s and mother’s 
family. 

Prince Monabaz, eldest son of Monabazes and Helena, the 
King and Queen of Adiabene, who was acting as Prime Minister 
to Jesus, now came forward and said: Thou Eleazar, what 
meanest thou by insulting our Cousin, Jesus Nassar; who like our- 
selves, is a prince of the royal families of Parthia ! Come forward 
immediately, salute the King, and pray his pardon for thy dis- 
courtesy. 

Our holy religion teaches us, that every son of Israel was 
created to be a sovereign. Therefore I cannot worship, except 
before Jehovah our King. 

We have not deified our comrade, said another patrician lad; 
we are only at play. So come and pay your respect to the 
King. 

My father. Rabbi Yohanan, hath taught me to do homage to 
no man ; because we are of the family of King David. 

Even if you be a descendant of King David, said Prince 
Monabaz, it is meet that you pay homage to our Cousin, Jesus 
Nassar. For the Kings of Judah and Israel were always vassals 
of the monarchs of Assyria, our ancestors. Therefore, either sa- 
lute your lawful rulers in whose land you now sojourn, or take 
the punishment we will mete out to rebels in these our dominions ; 
for I am the eldest son of the King and Queen. 

Eleazar and Caiaphas' grinned defiantly. But when they saw 
Monabaz step towards them^ they came quickly forward and 
saluted. 

When I sit on the throne of my forefathers, said Monabaz to 


136 


lESAT NASSAR. 


his companions, no one shall be permitted to insult the people in 
whose land they live and thrive, under the plea of religious 
scruples. All shall have equal rights with, but no privileges over 
my people. 

Eleazar and Caiaphas left as soon as they could, and retailed 
at home the words of Monabaz. 

We must put the kherim, i, e,, ban and boycott, upon this 
Gentile Monabaz, said Yohanan. He must never be allowed to 
reign in Adiabene. And therefore let us lose no time in begin- 
ning the good work. 

Consequently Yohanan with several prominent rabbis who 
were like-minded, sought an audience of Queen Helena, before 
whom they craftily pleaded that their sons were persecuted; 
having been forced to worship her kinsman Jesus Nassar, son of 
her cousin Lady Mary a. 

The son of Youseph Pandar seeketh ever to be exalted and 
glorified above your sons, Oh most gracious and righteous 
Queen, said Yohanan. 

But, good Rabbi, replied Helena, while we thank you for 
your interest in our sons, we fear that you regard the matter of 
boyish games too seriously. 

It is mortal sin for us to worship even in pretence any but our 
Deity, and the Prince Monabaz scoffed at our holy religion, and 
forced our sons to bow down before Jesus Nassar. Our fathers 
were willing to lay down their lives rather than to worship false 
■gods; and we had trusted that we should be free from such 
persecutions under your protection. Oh gracious Queen. 

Helena’s good sense always became obscured whenever ap- 
peal was made to her sympathy through her religious vanity. 
She therefore sent for her son, Monabaz, who gave a truthful ac- 
count of what had transpired. Put she rebuked him for what 
she termed want of respect for the holy religion of a people who 
were her good friends and faithful subjects. 

After Eleazar and Caiaphas had left the boys, there came 


JESUS IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL. 137 

along a party of lads, several of whom were carrying one of 
their comrades. Jesus Nassar immediately left his play, and 
ran to see what hurt the boy had received. Finding that he 
had been stung by a serpent, he told the boys to lay him down 
at once, and bade his own cousin run as fast as he could to the 
house of Lady Marya, and fetch the antidote she always kept in 
readiness for such accidents. While the lad ran to do his bid- 
ding, Jesus Nassar sucked the poison out of the wound, and used 
all other precautions and remedies within reach, which he had 
learned of his mother and the Magi. So, when his cousin ar- 
rived with the antidote which the bitten boy drank, he quickly 
rallied, and was able to go home in a short while. 

Then Jesus Nassar said to his companions : Come boys, now 
let us go and hunt for that serpent, till we find and kill it ; so 
that it may never again sting any one. All his comrades joined 
him willingly; and when they had found the serpent, Jesus 
killed it. 

And thus passed the years of the childhood of the Blessed 
One. He was the noblest and brightest, and most natural boy 
that ever lived : courageous and brave and loving, first and 
foremost in all actions that could bring happiness to others. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XI. Also pages of same, 
552, 554, 555^ 559- 


lESAT NASSAR. 


13S 


CHAPTER XII. 


FIRST VISIT TO THE TEMPLE. 

According to prehistoric oriental custom, every male at- 
tained his majority as a citizen, at the age between twelve and 
thirteen. The lad then legally assumed the responsibilities of a 
citizen. 

Talmud law required personal observance of Jewish religious 
ordinances at the age of twelve. A lad had then to keep the 
fast of the Day of Atonement, and at thirteen he became a Bar 
Mitzveh, i. e., a son of deeds worthy of reward. The father, who 
had been hitherto responsible for his son’s offences, became free 
from the obligation, and the lad was henceforth responsible for 
his own misdemeanors. 

From a feudatory principality, the kingdom of Herod, the 
Great, had been reduced to a province by the decree of Augustus 
Caesar for an enrolment of the land. Subject to the approval ot 
Augustus, Herod had bequeathed his kingdom to three of his 
sons, Archelaus and Antipas, by Maltake, his Samaritan wife, 
and Philip, by Cleopatra, of Jerusalem. 

Philip became tetrarch of Gaulonites, Trachonites and Paneas, 
the populations of which, being largely Gentile, submitted to his 
authority peaceably. 

Antipas received Galilee and Perea, the lands of which w^ere 
principally owned and cultivated by Gentiles, As the Jewish 
element was in the minority, Herod Antipas reigned in peace and 
prosperity, until he was deposed and exiled through the ambitious 
and unscrupulous intrigues of Herodias, his pseudo wife and 
grand-daughter of Mariamne I., the Asmonean. 

With the title of King, Judea and Samaria were bequeathed 
to Archelaus. 

The Nationalist party had trusted that, on the death of Herod 


FIRST Visit to THE tEMPLF. 13^ 

the Great, the kingdom would be given to the Asmoneans. To 
this end they had intrigued and raised seditions, but succeeded 
only in convincing Augustus Caesar that they v/ere not fitted to 
rule their own people. He therefore confirmed Archelaus and 
his brothers as governors of the kingdom of their father. 

Of this period Josephus said: And now Judea was full of 
robberies ; and as the seditious lighted upon any one to head 
them, he was immediately created a king in order to do mischief 
to the public. Fifty men of this seditious party were sent 
to Rome as ambassadors, to persuade Caesar to make void 
the testament of Herod the Great; but as they failed of suc- 
cess, they returned to renew the disturbances in Judea with fresh 
zeal. 

After nine years of vigorous and continued endeavor, this 
Judean party succeeded in getting Archelaus deposed and exiled. 
But instead of attaining their end, the former kingdom of Herod 
the Great was, from a province, now reduced to a territory, and 
Coponius, a Roman of the Equestrian order, was sent to be Pro- 
curator of Judea. 

This policy again necessitated a readjustment of the records 
and laws governing landed estates, which were completed by 
Cyrenius in the thirty-seventh year of Caesar’s victory at Actium, 

. A. D. 6. 

At this time, Jesus Nassar, being in the thirteenth year of his 
age, was brought by his parents to Jerusalem, that he might 
assume the responsibilities of majority, and insure his rights by 
registration as the heir of the property of his parents and grand- 
parents which lay in Judea. 

Queen Helena at this time also went to Jerusalem, taking 
her eldest son Monabaz, heir to the Palace Monabaz, on Ophel, 
and also to secure the necessary recognition of her own posses- 
sions under the new regime. 

As Prince Monabaz and Jesus Nassar were fellow students 
and loving comrades, the families traveled in company; and 


lESAT NASSAR. 


140 

Jesus spent the greater portion of his time with his cousins at the 
Palace Helena. 

The ceremony of the recognition of a lad as Bar Mitzveh 
required his being brought to the synagogue by his father, who^ 
in the presence of the congregation, declared that his son was 
now of age, and had been instructed in the Jewish law and 
religious ceremonials. Also, that the lad would henceforth 
bear his own sins, for which the father should no longer be 
chargeable. 

N ear the end of the service a roll of the sacred scriptures was 
brought, and the lad was called upon to read a portion out of it. 
The father stood at the right, and the teacher at the left side, 
while the boy read. Female friends and relatives were relegated 
to the galleries, as it was not lawful for men and women to 
mingle in a Jewish synagogue during the services. After the 
reading, the lad delivered a discourse. Then followed the 
special prayer by the persons appointed. 

When the sacred roll was given to Jesus Nassar on the 
occasion of attaining his majority and its religious recognition, 
he selected and read the passage : 

‘‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: Wherefore He hath 
anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek. He hath sent 
me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, 
and recovering of sight to the blinded. To set at liberty them 
that are bruised; to proclaim the accepted year of the Lord.” 

When he had read aloud thus, and returned the roll, Jesus 
Nassar delivered his discourse. 

He began by saying : “ To-day is this Scripture fulfilled in 
your ears.” Then he spoke of the Desire of all Nations, and 
the Expected One, who, by revealing the nature of the Invisible 
Supreme to mankind, would reconcile the human race to its 
Creator and Father. 

The assembled people wondered at the gracious words spoken 
by Jesus Nassar, at tins his initiation into the duties of manhood. 


FIRST VISIT TO THE TEMPLE. 


I4I 

When Youseph Pandar, as the legal father ot Jesus, had of- 
fered the dedicatory prayer and thanksgiving, Rabbi Yehoshua 
Ben Parakhai, as his principal religious tutor, also offered up a 
prayer. 

This famous interpretor of the Law, was much troubled over 
the political changes he had witnessed in seeing the Jewish na- 
tion reduced, in so short a period of time, from a feudatory king- 
dom to a Roman territory. He foresaw, by the history of the 
past, that the final results of continued internal seditions and law- 
lessness must be the destruction of the Temple and priesthood at 
Jerusalem as a centralization of power for the race. Therefore 
now, as at other times, he prayed earnestly for peace in his own 
day, and that the temple might be spared during his life time. 

When, in his turn, Jesus Nassar stood up to offer thanks and 
make supplication, he prayed that God the only Creator and 
Supreme Cause of all, would now reveal Himself to mankind in 
this their hour of need and doubt; and that he, Jesus, should be- 
come in deed and in truth, the Light and Word of God to the 
nations of the Earth. 

Rabbi Yehoshua was startled, and very much offended by the 
nature of this petition. According to the tenets of Judaism, 
Israel was to be high above all, and as God to the nations. 
Judah was his sanctuary and lawgiver, whom many peoples and 
strong nations were to seek to entreat the favor of the Lord. 
Were not ten men, z. ^., a congregation or the religious element, 
out of all the nations, to catch hold on to the skirts of any one 
that was a Jew, and deferentially to say : We will go with you ; 
for we had heard that God is with you 1 What bold, unpardon- 
able and blasphemous daring of this son of aliens, royal though 
they be, to aspire to supersede Israel who strove even with God, 
and prevailed ! 

Turning to Jesus at the conclusion of the prayer, the Rabbi 
addressed him : 

Oh Rosha, Rosha ! * how proud thou art to ask for such a 


Rosha, wicked one, Also chief or head-rosh, 


142 


lESAT NASSAR. 


thing. Thou darest to desire to be as God to man ! Thou shalt 
not even die the natural death of a man ; but like a transgressor 
thou shalt fall, and shalt not rise again ; and thy end shall be evil 
and bitter. i^Toledoth Yeshu Ha Hassri.) 

During the year that they tarried in Judea for the readjust- 
ment registration, Jesus Nassar continued his studies under tutors 
with Prince Monabaz. But He also attended the Jewish schools 
of theology, where He won the admiration and regard of his 
teachers by his dilligence, intelligence and the rapid progress he 
made. 

Meanwhile Yohanan, the son of Seth, had so ingratiated 
himself with Cyrenius, that the Roman President appointed him 
High Priest in Jerusalem;, depriving Joazer, son of Boethus, 
of the office to which he had been elected by the Jewish com- 
munity. 

The address made by Jesus Nassar, and his prayer, had be- 
come the subject of much speculation and comment among the 
rabbis, some of whom prognosticated that a lad with such am- 
bitions and powerful family connections, could prove a dangerous 
foe to Judaism in the future. 

But Rabbi Yehoshua, whose wrath had been temporary, and 
who was very proud of the credit to himself on account of his 
noble pupil’s rare progress in learning, said : Perchance it is 
merely the enthusiasm of pious youth in the lad which led him 
astray to believe the predictions of the Gentile Magi concerning 
himself, rather than humbly to accept the teachings of our holy 
religion without reserve or doubt. When he grows older, he will 
learn to defer to our sacred mysteries, into which his rare intelli- 
gence is worthy of initiation. The facts of his royal descent, 
powerful connections, and natural piety, can be made of the 
greatest service to our cause throughout the world. 

For which reason, said Yohanan, must the lad be removed 
from the influence of his heathen tutors; and during the most 
formative and pliable years of his youth, he must be surrounded 


FIRST VISIT TO THE TEMPLE. 


143 


solely by righteous men who will train him in the way we would 
have him go. 

I fear he will not consent, replied Rahbi Yehoshua, since he 
hath great love for the teachings of the Magi. And verily the 
wisdom to which he attaineth through their instructions, is mar- 
vellous. As ye know, men say that Ben Parakhai hath some 
repute as a lawyer of the Torah. But I am as an ignorant child 
concerning the things of which this Jesus Nassar speaketh with 
perfect ease and understanding. 

What can be the subjects of his speech; inquired Yohanan, 
since all knowledge of heaven and earth is contained in our 
sacred writings. And with these, thou, Oh Ben Parakhai, art 
perfectly acquainted. 

Oh, I have heard him explain to his comrades concerning 
the spheres and heavenly bodies ; their triangular, square and 
sextile aspects; their progressive and retrograde motions ; their 
sizes, distances and other things, which the reason of man cannot 
have discovered. He speaks of physics and metaphysics, the 
composition, powers and dissolution of the body : of its veins, 
arteries, bones and nerves. Also, how the soul operates on the 
body, and of its various sensations and faculties; and many 
other things which the understanding of our most learned men 
never reached. But he. also speaketh of ages when men lived 
happily, governed by laws that the people understood ; and of 
which our chronicles have no record. True, we know that it is 
recorded with us, that the Torah was already in existence two 
thousand years before the creation of the world by our compu- 
tation ; but that is a mystery we cannot fathom. I have never 
seen or heard of any youth who possesseth so much knowledge 
as this Jesus Nassar. 

After a thoughtful pause, Yohanan, now already High Priest, 
assumed an expression of pitying contempt, as he said : My good 
friend, it is but natural that you should marvel. Our holy law 
and traditions contain all that is necessary for man to know ; 


144 


lESAT NASSAR. 


being the revelations vouchsafed to us and our forefathers, by the 
God of Jacob. But all these things which are taught by the 
heathen, are revealed unto them by the Evil One, who maketh 
men skilful in order that they may become proud and despise 
the chosen few unto whom is granted to understand the sacred 
mysteries. 

That may be as you say, of some of their teachings, argued 
Ben Parakhai. But it seemeth not to me to savor either of harm 
or the Evil One when I hear the lad Jesus Nassar inform his 
comrades of what lives they should lead in order to keep their 
bodies healthy. He explaineth the art of healing sickness and 
and disease ; as also the necessary action in case of accidents. 

Beware, Rabbi, said Yohanan sternly, that you also come not 
under the influence of the wiles of the Evil One. The body is 
not preserved in health or cured of ills by such tricks as applica- 
tions of ointments or the drinking of drugs alone ; but a roll of 
the sacred writings, laid on the sick, will heal; sacred charms 
worn on the body will protect against evil influences, and the ex- 
orcism spoken or written by a righteous man, will ease him that 
is possessed. Did not Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stay the plague 
by the censer of sacred fire and incense at the time of the revolt 
of Korah ? Did not Phineas, the son of Eleazer, stay the plague 
by slaying a man of Israel and a Midianitish woman, when some 
of our forefathers allied themselves with the Moabites? Did 
Moses our lord give powders or ointments or any such things to 
the children of Israel, when they were bitten by the fiery flying 
serpents ? Nay, but one look at the Great Serpent by our fore- 
fathers, who believed in its healing power, was sufficient to cure 
them. 

Verily thus hath it been recorded by our wise men, replied 
Ben Parakhai. But who can accomplish such marvels in our 
day ? 

Since I regard this Jesus Nassar as one that should have been 
my son, continued Yohanan with a smile, I will do jny duty by 


tiRST VISIT to THE TEMPLE, I45 

him as a father and deliver him from the unrighteous teachings of 
the heathen. 

d he Lady Marya and Youseph Pandar had occasion to pre- 
cede Queen Helena, and to reside awhile in Nazareth. But Jesus 
Nassar tarried with his royal kinswoman and comrade Monabaz 
at their palace in Jerusalem. 

Yohanan had long before gained and maintained an influence 
over the mind and will of Queen Helena ; but now, as High 
Priest, she regarded him as the direct mouthpiece of Jehovah. 
Having arranged a plan of action with several chief priests and 
elders, who were his confidential colleagues, Yohanan proceeded 
to impress upon Helena her responsibility, and the danger of ex- 
posing her young kinsman Jesus Nassar to the heathen influences 
of the Magi during his youth and early manhood, and before he 
was well grounded in the faith of Judaism. As her spiritual ad- 
viser, he convinced her that as chieftainess of the clan to which 
the parents of Jesus belonged, it was her duty to exercise her 
legal authority to dispose of the lad according to the dictates of 
her conscience. Such action would secure the welfare of Jesus, 
and also spiritual benefits for herself and her children. 

The dictates of Helena’s conscience were invariably a reflex 
of Yohanan’s opinion whenever he willed it to be so. The Queen 
v/as therefore easily persuaded to acquiesce in the High Priest’s 
plan to exert her influence, and authority if need be, to deliver 
Jesus Nassar to the charge of the priesthood, as one dedicated to 
the study of sacred lore for a certain number of years. During 
such period of time he would be in retreat from his family and 
from the world in general. 

When, in the fifteenth year of his reign, Herod the Great un- 
dertook the responsibility of rebuilding the Temple of Jerusalem 
and enlarging its compass, the Lady Marya had been born to 
Nakeeb and Grapte of Kharax and Adiabene, or Joachim and 
Anna. As a lasting memorial of gratitude for the gift of a child, 
the royal proselytes had then donated a portion of their grounds 

10 


146 


lESAT NASSAU. 


which adjoined the Temple area. They likewise supplied the 
funds for the building and endowment of a house of prayer which 
should be open and free to people of all creeds and nationalities 
who desired to worship toward the Temple, but who were de- 
barred from entering into the sacred precincts further than the 
Court of the Gentiles on account of being proselytes from alien 
races, or because. of their non- Judaic creed. The conditions on 
which the land was donated were embodied in the title deeds. 
This annex was therefore, by Herod, included in the Court of 
the Gentiles. 

The day previons to her departure from Jerusalem had been 
selected by Queen Helena as the most opportune to acquaint 
Jesus Nassar with the plan and wishes of his family and friends. 
Yohanan, who was now known as Annas the High Priest, had 
been requested to come to the Palace Helena with the priests 
and lawyers that were trustees of all estates that had been 
willed to become the property of the Temple on the extinction 
of heirs. 

By virtue of such office Annas the High Priest, with the co- 
trustees, could exercise a certain authority and guardianship over 
Jesus Nassar as the heir apparent to the valuable estates of Grapte 
of Kharax which had been willed in such a manner. 

At this time, Helena felt genuine affection for Jesus, and was 
very proud of his rare intelligence. She was sincerely persuaded 
that in aiding Annas the High Priest to put her young kinsman 
into retreat she was doing most acceptable service to Jehovah, 
and securing the salvation of the lad, who, with her elder son 
Monabaz, she feared was too much engrossed in the study of the 
art of healing. She would gladly have placed Monabaz in 
retreat with the Jewish priesthood, but she had not the power; 
also through fear of her subjects was obliged to be exceedingly 
circumspect how she interfered with the religion of the heir ap- 
parent. To her great grief Monabaz had always been repelled 
by the Judaizing influences which his mother had secretly per- 


FIRST VISIT TO THE TEMPLE. 

mitted to be cautiously exercised to win him over to the creed of 
which she was so blind and zealous an adherent. 

Helena’s younger son Izates, a lad about one year younger 
than Jesus, was a most impressionable and pliant youth. Under 
the plea of fears for his safety, she had induced her husband. 
King Monabaz, to send the lad to the court of Abennerig, the 
King of Kharax-Spasini, whose women had a’l secretly embraced 
Judaism. Here, with the connivance of these women, Izates, 
Helena’s son, was secretly instructed and converted by Ananias 
the Jewish merchant. 

Having thus disposed of her favorite son, Queen Helena could 
have no scruples in making use of any subterfuge by which Jesus 
could be persuaded to adopt the course of life planned for him 
by her spiritual adviser, the High Priest. 

When with his co-trustees Annas arrived at the palace. Queen 
Helena summoned Jesus Nassar into their presence. She in- 
formed him that after due deliberation, his family and the guard- 
ians of the property he would inherit, had agreed upon a course 
of study for him, which would occupy several years. 

The trustees talked to the lad of his grandparents, their piety 
and generosity. After much diplomatic circumlocution Annas 
with his confederates made their opinions and propositions known 
to Jesus. They said that as Joachim and Anna had begotten 
no male child to perpetuate the name in Israel, it was the pious 
and bounden duty of Jesus Nassar to perform a good deed which 
should be a memorial to his righteous grandparents, and more 
acceptable to Jehovah than mere material donations. 

When Jesus Nassar replied that he was not only willing but 
anxious to do what was right in regard to the memory of his an- 
cestors, the trustees acquainted him with the plan which necessi- 
tated retreat from his family and the world at large. He should 
spend this time in the study of Jewish theology. 

With much apparent affection Annas dwelt upon the special 
interest he felt in Jesus Nassar, and vowed to watch over him 


148 


lESAT NASSAU. 

with parental solicitude. In making such an assertion, the astute 
High Priest spoke the truth. He had made up his mind that, 
since he had failed to secure the Lady Marya for himself, he 
would compass sea and land to marry his beloved daughter Sarah 
to Marya’s son and heir. Thus he would gain the coveted wealth 
and power after all. But he admitted no one to his confidence 
on this subject. 

Jesus hesitated to comply with the advice to go into imme- 
diate retreat in the absence and without the consent of his 
parents. But Annas and his confederates skillfully impressed him 
with the idea that the Lady Marya had not only sanctioned, but 
most earnestly desired such dedication on his part to the 
memory of her sainted parents. Also^ that fearing her son might 
doubt her love for him if she suggested such sacrifice, Marya had 
intrusted it to Helena and the pious priests to advise him in the 
matter. 

Jesus wondered greatly and was very sorrowful at heart that 
his beloved mother, who had his fullest confidence, should thus 
have doubted his reverence for the memory of her parents and 
his ready deference to all her wishes. But he made no further 
protest and agreed to tarry in retreat with the theological teachers 
of the Temple of Jerusalem. 

When, in Adiabene, the Lady Marya learned from Queen 
Helena that her son had gone into retreat, she was much troubled 
at heart. On her return to Nazareth she conferred with Youseph 
Pandar, who. at first was astonished, but soon became doubtful 
and said: The lad hath ever been so dutiful and loving, and so 
open in all his dealings, that I will not believe he would volun- 
tarily deal thus with us. 

Our cousin Helena implied that he had perchance not yet 
quite decided upon this dedication, or desired to spare us the 
grief of parting for so long a separation, or that the sacrifice be- 
ing thus made more painful, it would become acceptable as a 
perfect one. As she said this the Lady Marya bowed her head 


FIRST VISIT TO THE TEMPLE. 


149 


and wept those bitter tears of loneliness of the heart which only 
Nature’s true mothers can feel, when in return for boundless self- 
sacrificing love their children turn away to give their most sacred 
confidence to strangers, who flatter them for their own interest or 
amusement. 

The Lady Trywa, who was present, became indignant. I 
desire not to cast dishonor on your religious convictions, Youseph 
and Marya, she said, but I bless the beneficent God of my people, 
who laketh pleasure in the happiness of his creation, that I never 
was persuaded to exchange my religion for a creed whose Deity 
seems to find satisfaction only in the sufferings of simple minded 
people and dumb animals. It angers me that our son Jesus who 
hath the most noble, truthful and loving nature, should have 
been thus misled to act with deceit and cruelty towards his 
parents, under the pretext of religious duty. 

Oh, Lady Mother, replied Youseph, we all know our cousin 
Helena hath neither opinion nor will of her own in all matters 
that concern her creed or religious duty, but strictly obeyeth the 
directions of the elders. Since Yohanan, the son of Seth, is now 
Annas the High Priest and her chief adviser, who can tell what 
interest he hath conceived in the future of our lad, and with 
Helena have used force or guile to separate him from us. But 
since we will not be permitted to see him or to have communica- 
tion with him, we must have word concerning his welfare sent 
daily from the trustees to the palace. 

The answer to all questions concerning Jesus Nassar was, 
that his health was perfect and his content indescribable. But 
neither relatives nor retainers nor acquaintance were allowed to 
see him, nor was he permitted to write or to receive written com- 
munications. He hath separated himself from the world, and de- 
sire th to be left with his mind free from earthly interests to study 
the sacred Torah, was the invariable reply of the trustees to all 
who desired to see Jesus Nassar. 

The following year, in the season of Spring and the feast of 


ISO 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the Passover, Youseph Pandar with the Lady Marya went to 
Jerusalem and demanded of their acquaintance, the trustees, 
opportunity to see Jesus. But with much pious circumlocution 
the trustees and theological teachers replied that the lad requested 
that his parents should not cause him to sin and break his vow, 
by obliging him to distract his mind from the contemplation of 
sacred studies to secular interests, even for a moment. They 
spoke in exalted terms of Jesus^ complete devotion to the sacred 
lore and the ceremonial duties inculcated by it. But when 
Youseph Pandar spoke of the manner of his having gone into 
retreat as unfilial, Annas, the High Priest, politely reminded him 
and the Lady Marya that the holy men of Israel had long ago 
decided that : study was before works, since the studies which 
engaged the Chosen People on Earth, equally occupied their 
God in heaven.” 

With a view to comfort and satisfy her, the Lady Marya was 
informed that during the past year, Jesus Nassar had passed 
through the first degree in his studies successfully. The new 
year would lead him into what was open only to a chosen few, 
viz.: the second degree. Ben Parakhai here added : And if you, his 
parents, do not interrupt him in the path he hath chosen, your 
son may yet be counted worthy to enter the third degree and to 
become a partaker of the sacred mysteries of Wisdom. 

The Lady Marya was fain to accept such specious arguments 
instead of satisfying the hunger of her eyes and heart for a sight 
of her son. She had no alternative, because the civil power of 
Rome itself was powerless to act against the plea of religious 
conviction and duty, with which the priests so cunningly justified 
all their actions. 

Queen Helena did not come down to the feast that year, but 
the following Passover she spent at her palace in Jerusalem. 
And now Marya and Youseph demanded of her, from under 
whose guardianship Jesus had gone into retreat, that she should 
use her influence to obtain an interview for them with the lad- 


FIRST VISIT TO THE TEMPLE, 


they knew full well that the elders and High Priest would not 
dare to refuse Helena for fear of losing the favor of so potent a 
proselyte. 

But Helena, not being one of Nature’s mothers, felt no sym- 
pathy with Marya’s yearnings for a sight of her son. She replied 
by using the same arguments as the trustees. Only not having 
the same incentive to be amiable, Helena finally cruelly chided 
Marya as one whose heart was not right in the sight of the God 
of Abraham, and advised her rather to imitate that holy patri- 
arch, who, when he was bidden to offer as a burnt sacrifice the 
only son of his wife Sarah, obeyed the command cheerfully and 
promptly. 

But, replied Marya, wearily, if the sacrifice had been de- 
manded of Sarah, perchance she might not have surrendered her 
only child quite so readily. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XII. Also pages of same, 
S59> 560, 562. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


152 


CHAPTER XIII. 


JESUS SUBJECT TO HIS PARENTS. 

The rabbis were formed into a union, called Khaberim. This 
word, derived from the Aramaic Khubr, i. e., information, 
designated the learned or initiates of the oral and written inter- 
pretations of the Scriptures as rendered by the Jewish Elders. 
Into this union any one might enter. But this Union of Khaberim 
was divided into three degrees. The first and lowest degree, 
that of the Parsh, were those v/ho studied the interpretation of 
the Scriptures, as rendered in the written records of the Talmud, 
and the oral teachings of the rabbis. 

The second degree consisted of those who were initiated into 
the cabalistic rendering of the same, and these were called Benni 
Kallie, Sons of Kallie. These colleagues were very careful to 
conceal the secret rendering of the Talmudic interpretation of 
the Scriptures under a peculiarity of language, terms of phrase- 
ology and symbols, in such a manner that they could study and 
converse on these mysteries even in a public assembly, by meth- 
ods of language understood only by the initiated. Such meth- 
ods were adapted to conceal the meaning of their doctrines from 
the mental grasp of the uninitiated around them. Thus, accord- 
ing to their own definition, they kept their pearls of knowl- 
edge from the swine or uninitiated masses around them who 
would have trampled them under foot, and then perchance have 
turned and destroyed the masters of the secret knowledge.’* 

But into the third degree only such were admitted whose 
combinative insight rendered it impossible to exclude It was 
strictly prohibited under penalty of the kherim, ban and 
anathema of the synagogue, to reveal the knowledge of the third 
degree to any except to reliable persons, and only to such whose 
physiognomy spoke in their favor. Therefore the initiated also 


JESUS SUBJECT TO HIS PARENTS. 1 53 

imparted one to the other the knowledge of reliable physiog- 
nomy and lineaments of features. The secrets of this degree 
were never explained in particulars, but merely by hints in an 
abstract way. 

The Talmud says : It is not permitted to impart the myster- 
ies of the Torah, except to a counsellor, an artful charmer, and 
the Nabon-la-huss, or skilful teacher, who, in secret silence, can 
master certain intelligence by inference and conclusions from 
teachings received. Nabon, a diviner or teacher; la, on ac- 
count of; huss, comprehension. To such a one it is permitted 
to impart generalities, for he will understand them and be en- 
lightened in the hidden recesses of his heart. 

It was not permitted to impart even the summary, except to 
an Ab Beth Din (Chief of a Court of Justice) whose heart was 
known to be careful within him and solicitous for the supremacy 
of Israel. Finally, even to a person considered worthy by vir- 
tue of all the signs, the secrets could not be imparted before he 
had lived the life of a recluse for full three years. {^Qtiabala^ by 
Isaac Meyer ^ LL,B,) Edersheim^ etc. 

The Khaberim of the three degrees addressed each other as : 
Rabbi Kourob. This is derived from the Aramaic, Rabbi, my 
lord; Kourob, relations, neighbors, near ones. This term be- 
came a synonym for comrade and neighbor in a theological and 
religious sense, and is translated in the English version of the 
Sciiptures as neighbor. The lawyer said unto Jesus : And who 
is my neighbor? ” 

The prescribed studies of this Union were: The study of the 
Old Testament exclusively as a text book up to the age of ten 
years. Study of the Mishha or traditional law, from the age of 
ten to fifteen. Thirdly, if after this age the student liad shown 
decided aptitude, he entered on those theological discussions 
which occupied the time and attention of the rabbis of the 
higher degrees. 

The laity of the Jewish people, who were not Khaberim, 


15 + 


lESAT NASSAR. 


were designated as Aam-Harth. In the Aramaic, Aam signifies 
people, and Harth or Harath, cultivators, ploughers. Under the 
same term were included all who followed any industrial occupa- 
tion or profession. The study of the Old Testamant scriptures 
alone was not sufficient to admit a Jew into the Union of the 
Khaberim. Without a knowledge of the commentaries of the 
rabbis, no matter how refined or wealthy or educated in true 
science a Jew might be, he was ranked among the Aam-Harth. 
Neither was it counted sin to murder an Aam-Harth even on 
the Day of Atonement. But a man could be saved from the 
stigma of an Aam-Harth if he brought up a son to be a student 
of the Talmud Torah. Failing a son, it was an equally meritori- 
ous duty to secure and support a son in-law who was a Khaber. 

Thus Aam-Harth became the synonym for laity, and trans- 
lated, ‘‘ common people.” But the common people heard 
Jesus gladly.” 

Another year had nearly passed after Helena’s refusal to 
secure an interview with Jesus for his parents. But during that 
period Youseph Bandar had occasion to renew intercourse with 
a beloved friend and fellow student. This Joseph of Arimathea 
was a young man of great genius, honorable family, and pos- 
sessed of much wealth. He had settled as a lawyer in Jerusa- 
lem, and his piety was genuine, untainted by the hypocrisy of 
the Pharisees. To him Youseph Bandar and Lady Marya con- 
fided their grief, and after due deliberation he arrived at the con- 
clusion that duplicity had been practiced to separate Jesus from 
his parents. 

Entrust the matter to me, said the young lawyer, and I will 
unravel the mystery. 

Full permission was granted him to use his own discretion on 
the case. 

The members of the Temple Senhedrim who on ordinary 
days sat as a Court of Appeal, were wont on Sabbath and feast 
days to come out upon the Terrace of the Temple and there to 


JESUS SUBJECT TO HIS PARENTS. 1 55 

teach. To this Terrace no Gentiles ever gained admittance, no 
proselytes, nor their children before the third generation. The 
audience at these lectures was composed of Khaberim only, who 
sat on the ground surrounding, and mingling with the lecturing 
rabbis. These teachers were obliged to make considerable pre- 
parations, since the utmost latitude for questions was given on 
such occasions. 

There were two kinds of public lectures and two kinds of 
students. The higher or initiated theological students consisted 
of the Beni Kallie Khaberim. The lower class were not of the 
Khaberim, and were permitted to attend only the ordinary lec- 
tures in the Court of the Gentiles. These were known as the 
students of the Court. The lectures addressed to this un- 
initiated audience were of course very different to those delivered 
to the Khaberim. The KhalDerim could attend the lectures 
of the Court, but sat seperated from the Aam-Harth or lay 
students. 

Such lectures were delivered during Elul, the last month of 
summer which precedes the Jewish civil New Year; and during 
Adar, the last winter month before the Passover, or ecclesiastical 
New Year. 

During the terms of these lectures outsiders who were not 
actual students at the time might enter for the purpose of asking 
a question or an opinion of the lecturer on ecclesiastical juris- 
prudence or other matters. But no Khaber was permitted to 
give an opinion if his superior Rabbi was present. 

One day during the lecture term of the Passover season, 
Joseph of Arimathea came on to the Terrace to ask an opinion 
of the presiding' Rabbi, Ben Parakhai, who happened to he 
absent at the time. Joseph put the question to the Khaberim 
present. Is it lawful for a son to forsake father and mother 
without their knowledge and consent, even though it be to dedi- 
cate himself to the life of a recluse ? Doth he not, by such 
action, dishonor father and mother in not seeking their advice 


lESAT NASSAR. 


and blessing ? Hath not Moses commanded : Honor thy 
father and thy mother ? ” 

Not one of the Khaberim replied to the questions by word or 
gesture, but maintained absolute silence. 

Jesus Nassar, who at this time had attained to the second 
and higher degree of initiates, waited for the Khaberim who were 
older in years to speak ; but when Joseph of Arimathea repeated 
his questions, and none of them made any reply, Jesus rose and 
spoke. 

In his opinion, it was not lawful to dishonor father or mother 
in any manner whatsoever ; but it was the duty of a child to give 
his parents his confidence, and father and mother were entitled to 
give advice to their sons and daughters. 

Joseph of Arimathea then took Jesus Nassar aside, and said 
to him privately: My Lord, your honorable parents would fain 
have speech of you on very important matters. Therefore when 
will it please you to see them ? You know that they cannot en- 
ter so far, and your highness hath never sent them word nor 
come out into the Court whenever they were present these three 
years. 

Jesus Nassar looked wi^h surprise at Joseph, but answered : 
We pray you to - give our parents our respectful greeting, and 
inform them from us, that we will be present to-morrow at the 
lecture to the students of the Court. Also, that we pray them 
to honor us with their commands at that time. 

Joseph of Arimathea now felt convinced that Jesus and his 
parents had been the victims of duplicity. He returned speedily 
to Youseph Pandar and Lady Marya, and delivered the 
message. > 

As soon as Joseph of Arimathea xiad gone from the Terrace, 
the Khaberim raised a great clamor against Jesus Nassar, and 
wanted to kill him, saying : Who gave you authority to declare 
judgment in place of our superior Rabbi ? 

But Jesus answered : Be not over hasty to do violence to the 


JEStiS SUBJECT TO HtS PABENTS. 157 

innocent. Wait till the Rabbi arrives, and let him be the judge 
whether I have done any wrong. 

At this moment the Rabbi, who was coming, heard the great 
noise the students were making, and hastened to the spot. He 
demanded in a loud voice : Wherefore is all this clamor ? This is 
not the voice of them that discuss about the Law ! 

The Khaberim all began talking together : Rabbi, said they, 
have you not taught us that he who gives an opinion or delivers 
judgment in the place of his Rabbi is deserving of death ? And 
now this Jesus Nassar hath declared judgment here in thy school ! 

When Ben Parakhai heard what questions Joseph of Arima- 
thea had come to ask, and the nature of the answer Jesus had 
made, he became very angry and most severely rebuked Jesus 
Nassar for presuming to interpret the Law in place of his 
teacher. He concluded by saying : But what can be expected 
from the descendant of the proud Assyrian who destroyed Solo- 
mon’s Temple, except such presumption as thine ! 

On this the Khaberin would have murdered Jesus, but were 
prevented from doing so. Some of the Sanhedrists who came 
out to learn the cause of the disturbance, advised that the affair 
be amicably settled, and that no further insults be offered to Jesus 
Nassar. For, said they, the young lawyer Joseph of Arimathea 
has seen him, and spoken with him words not known to the 
others, and out of which peradventure trouble might be made 
for the rabbis with the Roman authorities. 

When on the following day Lady Marya with Youseph Pan- 
dar arrived at the Court of the Gentiles, the lecture was already 
in progress. With other spectators they waited till the close. 
The whole audience was amazed at the comprehensive and clear 
answers given by Jesus to the questions put to him, and at the 
deep and often startling questions that He asked in return, and 
which showed Him to be a student of rare intelligence, great re- 
search, strong perseverance, and enormous and fearless intel- 
lectual grasp. 


I5S lESAT NASSAR. 

The session came to an end, and Jesus Nassar hastened with 
eager and loving glance towards his parents, whose hearts were 
overflowing with joy, and love and pride when they saw bow 
beautiful of stature and noble of aspect he had grown ; and heard 
the words of wisdom he had spoken. 

After an. exchange of most loving greetings between Jesus 
Nassar and his parents, the Lady Marya exclaimed, as she still 
fondly held his hand in both of her own : But why hast thou 
thus dealt with us. Oh my Son ? Behold thy father and I have 
sought to see thee, and sorrowed greatly that we could not see 
thy face all these years. 

How is it that ye sought me, replied Jesus. Wist ye not, 
and was it not because it was your earnest desire, that I did dedi- 
cate myself to the life of a recluse in this House, as a memorial 
to my ancestors ? 

My Son, said Lady Marya, we understand not thy saying. 
We knew naught of this matter until we were informed by our 
cousin, Helena, that thou hadst thus elected to separate thyself 
from us. 

After a few more questions and answers between Jesus and 
his parents, they all perceived that duplicity and wrong had been 
practised upon them. Jesus Nassar therefore immediately went 
home with his parents, and sent a message to the High Priest 
and his co-trustees, that he would subject his future actions to 
the approval of his parents. 

With Youseph Pandar and Lady Marya, Jesus Nassar soon 
after went to Nazareth. For several years following, he re- 
sumed his studies under the Magi, especially the art of healing. 
He also continued his investigations into Jewish theology and 
ecclesiastical jurisprudence. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XIII. Also pages 559, 
543 - 549 - 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 


159 


CHAPTER XIV. 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 

At ibis time Alexandria in Egypt was the capital of the Jewish 
world in the West. The wealth and influence of western Juda- 
ism centred in this- city, founded by Alexander the Great. It was 
a comparatively modern city in its character, inhabitants, public 
life, art, literature, study and amusements. At the same time, 
here was gathered a combination of all that had been in the an- 
cient world, or existed at the time in other lands. One-fifth of 
the area of the city was covered by royal palaces with their gar- 
dens ; and architectural beauty and symmetry were prominently 
noticeable everywhere. 

Being a commercial city, furnished with fine excellent harbors, 
Europe, Asia and Africa brought to it their wealth and treasures 
of commerce. Here also was the chief seat of Greek learning. 
Consequently the attractions of wealth, the amusements of a great 
city, the almost unlimited facilities for the study of every branch 
of learning in its magnificent libraries, and its far-famed physi- 
cians drew a large, intelligent and energetic population to it. 

The Judean Priests dreaded above all things, the restless, 
searching, subtle Greek intellect which penetrated everywhere, 
and flashed its light into the darkest recesses of the mysteries by 
which they held the laity, or Aam-Harth in spiritual bondage. 
The attractive polish and spirit of Greek civilization and culture 
was an abomination and a menace to these propogators of a reli- 
gion which seemed to be an interchange of regular supplies of 
bloody sacrifices for unlimited supplies of food and material 
wealth wherewith to satisfy carnal appetites, between the Hebrew 
and his Deity. Therefore, the rabbis pronounced the ban of the 
Synagogue on all Jews who would study Greek wisdom ; be- 
cause Jews who were intelligent, refined and humane, were led 
to renounce Judaism through such study. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


160 

Jesus Nassar, now a young man famed for his knowledge of 
Magian science and Jewish theology, as also for much original 
wisdom desired to study the Greek learning in Alexandria. As 
Lady Mary a had decided to accompany her son, and to reside 
awhile in Egypt, they went down to Jerusalem in the pleasant 
springtime to settle their affairs in Judea preparatory to the de- 
parture for Alexandria in the following autumn. 

The rabbis had strictly enforced a rule that whenever a Jew 
caught sight of a member of the Sanhedrim, no matter at what 
distance, he was to stand aside in a bowed attitude of humble 
awe with his hands upon his breast, and to make deep obeisance 
till the Sanhedrist had passed by. That dignitary, however, never 
deigned to take tlie slightest notice of such acts of homage, but 
walked on with supercilious mien. 

A large number of Jev/ish delegates from all parts of fhe 
world had come up to the Convention at Jurusalem that year. 
Consequently the grand procession of the Sanhedrim and other 
rabbinical dignitaries of the Holy City was greatly augmented. 

On all processional occasions, the Roman soldiers were sta- 
tioned along the route to preserve order, and to do honor to the 
ecclesiastical rulers of the Jews. Two lines of soldiers kept an 
open passage between the spectators for the paraders. But the 
populace was not indiscriminately mixed ; for the worshipping 
Jews were ranged on the right, and the sight seeing Gentiles on 
the left of the procession. 

As Jesus Nassar came along the street, he got into the crowd 
on the Jewish side, and stayed to witness the procession. His 
tall, perfectly proportioned form, his fair skinned, blue eyed, and 
golden haired beauty, his erect, graceful bearing, were all notice- 
able in any assemblage, but now stood out in striking contrast 
among the dark haired, brown skinned and bowing multitude, 
above whose average height he rose with head and shoulders. 

There happened to be several Idumean soldiers stationed 
where Jesus Nassar stood. No amount of military discipline, 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 


l6l 


not even the Roman, ever succeeded in repressing the sense of 
humor in the Arab of pure race. Whenever he witnesses any 
thing or action which strikes him as ludicrous, he cannot refrain 
from making some audible remark or , gesture that expresses the 
impression made on him by the spectacle. So as the procession 
passed that point, these Idumean soldiers of the Roman army 
made audible and very humorous criticisms on the droll appear- 
ance of the sleek rabbis, with their enormous paunches and 
pompous airs. 

Although the ecclesiastical paraders scorned to make any 
courteous recognition whatever of all this homage bestowed upon 
them by the multitudes, they kept a sharp look out along the line 
of Jews, to see that none were remiss in rendering them the pre- 
scribed act of worship. Therefore If any Jews did not resist the 
inclination to laugh at the remarks of the Idumeans, their atti- 
tudes of bent bodies with bowed heads screened their faces from 
detection by the lynx eyed rabbis. 

But Jesus Nassar who stood erect, not joining in this Rabbi- 
olatry and servile submission, and involuntarily smiling at the 
supremely ludicrous phraseology, in which the Arabs made their 
comments, was observed by the parading rabbis, who conse- 
quently became exceedingly angry. 

The ecclesiastical dignitaries, who were acquainted with him 
personally or knew him by sight, dared not inflict summary re- 
buke or punishment upon him as they would have done upon 
one of their own race or a proselyte of ordinary social status : 
while those to whom he was a stranger, wondered who he was 
that dared to stand so erect in a crowd of humbly bowed Jews. 

As soon as the parade was over, and the rabbis gathered for 
the reception and banquet that followed in honor of the dele- 
gates, there arose a great hubbub among them on account of 
Jesus Nassar. The strangers were eager to ascertain who was 
that proud young alien, who had dared to defile the ranks of the 
holy people, by standing in such a bold attitude in their midst, 

n 


i 62 


lESAT NASSAR. 


and had lauglied, actually laughed as Ecclesiastical Israel, the 
only Son of God, passed by. 

Then, above all the clamor, rose the sound of the shrill voice 
of Eleazar, son of Annas the High Priest. He was about a year 
younger than Jesus Nassar, and was becoming known as an as- 
tute and able young lawyer in Jewish jurisprudence. 

You may well use the term, alien, he screamed; since one of 
the distinguishing traits of a Jew is timid humility when in pres- 
ence of his superiors ; while they who are not of the true Israel, 
are ever recognizable by their proud, fearless bearing under all 
circumstances. This young alien. Oh Elders of Israel! is an il- 
legitimate son of proselytes. 

As Eleazar triumphantly shrieked out the last sentence, a sud- 
den hush fell upon the company, during which the High Priest, 
pale with anger and annoyance, sternly addressed his son: You, 
Eleazar, keep your tongue bridled. 

Turning to the assembled dignitaries Annas said: The young 
man whom you observed to-day, is Jesus Nassar, son of Lady 
Marya who was the only child of the royal proselytes Nakeeb 
and Grapte of Kharax and Adiabene. Therefore he is cousin to 
the reigning potentates of those countries. He is also heir to the 
vast wealth which is dedicated to pass to the holy Temple on 
extinction of direct heirs of his mother. Therefore we must be 
prudent in speaking of him, or dealing with him in such a mat- 
ter as happened this day. 

To this Ben Parakhai answered : If he turneth not from the 
wickedness of his ways, this Jesus Nassar will eventually certainly 
merit the sentence of death according to our holy religion. You 
are aware. Oh High Priest, that as a child he profaned the Sab- 
bath, as a Bar-Mitzveh he had the audacity to pray that it might 
be the will of the Most High that men should regard him as a 
God, as a young Khaber he undertook to interpret the law in the 
place of his superior Rabbi. And now he hath behaved himself 
as one who scorneth the Israel of God, 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 


1^3 


Rabbi Akeeva spoke next. I have heard of this Jesus Nassar; 
and all that the pious Rabbi Eleazar and the wise Ben Parakhai 
have spoken concerning him are words of truth. I also know 
that he put himself in that position today, to make manifest to 
the heathen that he, and not Israel, is the Son of God. There- 
fore woe to him ! For he hath openly defied the chosen repre- 
sentatives of the Almighty. 

But, replied Ben Parakhai whose excitement abated during 
Akeeva’s denunciation; we must not permit hasty judgment, for 
it is possible that Jesus Nassar had no intention either to defy or 
deny the supremacy of Israel. He may have neglected to do 
homage through an impulse of the pride which is natural to Gen- 
tiles, and is especially characteristic of Gentile nobles and their 
descendants, even if you Judaise them a hundred times over. 

Some of the delegates then inquired why the Rabbi Akeeva 
should assert that he knew the young man had defied Israel with 
intent. 

Our Khaber Ben Parakhai hath too soft a heart, replied 
Akeeva; and it is his custom to make excuses for the faults of 
this his best pupil. But we will bring you proofs to-morrow or 
the day after, and then you will acknowledge that I have 
spoken advisedly. 

Eleazer’s heart was filled with anger, and overflowing with 
bitterness against his father for having rebuked him in the pres- 
ence of the elders of Israel, and especially those that were dele- 
gates. The young man had an overweening confidence in his 
own prudence, and to be bidden to keep his tongue bridled on 
such an occasion was too galling to his vanity and arrogant con- 
ceit to pass over without retaliation. 

It so happened that the mother of Eleazar, a raven haired, 
black eyed, dark skinned beauty, was a very jealous woman. She 
had never forgiven her husband for having professed an over- 
whelming love for the Lady Marya in his youth. She ruled him 
^nd her children by the force of an obstinate will and a violent 


164 


lESAT NASSAR. 


temper. Whenever Annas evinced the slightest inclination to 
rebel, even in a trivial matter, his Khavie, Eve, soon brought 
him into subjection by saying : Of course, if you had married the 
white faced, yellow haired Shiksie with the blue eyes, you would 
have been her obedient slave ; but me, the mother of your 
children, you thwart continually. Sometimes she would add 
spitefully : But the Shiksie did not consider you good enough 
for her, even though you were so eminent and wise. 

Shiksie, a term signifying an imperfect doubtful one, was 
applied to all maidens of non-Judaic race, by the Hebrews. 

Jesus Nassar, as well as his mother, was a cause of contention 
in that family. When a daughter was born to Annas, he con- 
ceived the idea of a matrimonial alliance by the union of his be- 
loved and petted Sarah with Jesus Nassar. Visions of seating 
his favorite child on the throne of Kharax and Adiabene, per- 
haps even of Parthia, as the consort of Jesus Nassar, filled his 
own and his dear Sarah’s souls with overwhelming bliss, even by 
anticipation. He himself could thus become virtually High 
Priest for the world, and inaugurate a Messianic reign after his 
own heart. 

But Khavie did not desire such a subordinate position as she 
feared would fall to her lot if Annas should realize his ambitious 
dreams. Lady Mary a would as the mother of a sovereign be of 
greater consequence than herself and eclipse her. Her kinsman, 
Joseph Caiaphas, was a youth after her own heart, who quoted 
her as authority on all subjects when in her presence or within 
her hearing. Consequently she regarded him with favor as an 
aspirant for the position of son-in-law to the High Priest. 

However, Sarah, who in personal appearance and character 
was an exact reproduction of her mother, was not at all pleased 
with Caiaphas’ abject deference to her mother’s sway. She argued 
that if Joseph Caiaphas wanted to marry her, she was the person 
to whom he ought to pay court and tender submission, and not 
her mother. Besides, although very proud of her race and her 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 


165 

own descent from the Davidic and Levitical families, Sarah 
usually expressed her contempt for the Caiaphas alliance, by say- 
ing to her mother: Why such anxious hurry? He is only a Jew 
like ourselves ; so what advancement will it bring me to marry 
him ? 

Furthermore, the brunette Sarah had been very much dazzled 
by the fair and manly beauty of Jesus Nassar; as also with the 
gracious bearing of Lady Marya, whom she judged it would be 
easier to manage than her own mother. 

Eleazar knowing all these things, malignantly waited until 
after supper to revenge himself. At this time of the day, his 
father was wont to spend a few hours in the society of wife and 
children. Wearied with the labors involved by the parade and 
official reception, Annas had laid aside his gorgeous outdoor gar- 
ments, and put on the easy, comfortable robes of home wear. He 
gave his wife and daughter a vivid account of the reception and 
banquet ; through which, as well as on parade, he, as High Priest 
of the Holy City, had received the highest honors and the great- 
est deference from all the delegates, as well as from Judean 
rulers, ecclesiastics and Roman authorities. 

When the High Priest had ended his description of all the 
scenes through which he had passed, and his face, as well as the 
countenances of his wife and daughter were illumined with 
triumphant happiness, Eleazar remarked sarcastically : But, 
father, why have you said nothing of the chief event of this day, 
compared to which, all the honor and glory you received fade 
away as the early dew before the rays Qf the burning sun. 

Annas’ face paled, as he replied : Foolishness of youth like 
that is not worthy of notice. 

But the curiosity of Khavie and Sarah once aroused, he was 
obliged to relate how Jesus Nassar had stood with head erect, 
and smiled instead of making lowly obeisance as the procession 
passed by. The High Priest vainly tried to make the incident 
appear as trivial as possible. Eleazar’s constant interruptions 


lESAT NASSAR. 


1 66 

with his own version of the affair added to spiteful comments on 
his father’s reasons for trying to acquit Lady Marya’s son of 
wrong, wrought up Khavie to a state of jealous frenzy, and re- 
duced Annas to quiet despair. 

When with a laudable desire to restore peace Sarah repri- 
manded her brother as one who loved to slander those of whom 
he was meanly and needlessly jealous, Eleazar turned on her 
malignantly and said: You had better content yourself with 
Joseph Caiaphas, for Jesus Nassar will no more raise you, a 
daughter of Yohanan, to the thrones of Kharax and Adiabene, 
than his mother would ally herself with Yohanan the son of 
Seth. 

The next day Rabbi Akeeva w^ent to the Palace Grapte, and 
requested an audience of the Lady Mary a, who was occupied in 
arranging for a renewal of tlie lease of some land she owned on 
the plain of Rephaim, which was valuable as fields on which 
peas and beans were raised for the city markets. But the rabbi 
said he would await her leisure, because he had come to discuss 
a matter of great importance to her. 

Rabbi Akeeva was a man with suave manners when bent on 
eliciting information. He gave the Lady Marya an account of 
the previous day’s proceedings and of the deportment of Jesus 
Nassar with such subtle craft that he left an impression of being 
a sincere friend. He also stated that he was anxious to shield 
her son from any disagreeable, if not disasterous consequences 
which might result through the indignation of the pious dignitaries 
whom his attitude had seemingly defied. 

Pray confide in me, gracious Lady, he said in conclusion. 
Hath Jesus Nassar done this thing to bring Israel into contempt 
in the presence of the heathen oppressors, or from motives pro- 
ceeding from conviction, or merely through the exuberance of 
youth ? 

Rabbi, replied Lady Marya, with dignity, members of families 
of our rank are trained from the birth to act with courtesy 


tHE FIRST TEMPTATION. 


167 


towards all men. Our Son could therefore never be guilty of dis- 
courtesy toward any person, from the King on the throne, to the 
beggar on the wayside. 

But, argued Rabbi Akeeva, this is not a question of worldly 
courtesy. It was a religious observance and duty, in which I 
have no doubt, your Highness’ Son failed through some errone- 
ous ideas he may have received from the Magi. Confide to me, 
noble daughter, all the circumstances connected with his birth, 
of which I have heard some wonderful reports ; but know not 
which are true and which false. 

The Lady Mary a was not willing to speak, but the rabbi 
urged her; and argued, that as Jesus Nassar had incurred the 
wrath of the elders it would be safer for him to have one friend 
who could convince the elders that he had not sought to bring 
them into contempt before the Aam-Harth and the heathen. Then 
he represented himself as not only willing, but anxious to be such 
a friend who would restore peace and friendship. For, he con- 
cluded, if you will confide all to me and trust me, I will so in- 
fluence my colleagues, that instead of the correction incurred, 
your Highness will merit Olem Aba, the world or life to come. 

Then, answered Lady Marya. Swear to me by your most 
sacred oath, that you will never make use of any words that I 
may speak to harm my Son in any manner whatever. 

So Rabbi Akeeva swore to her by the Name of God; but in 
his heart he annulled the oath. This was permitted by Judaism 
in dealings with proselytes and Gentiles. 

The Lady Marya explained how the High Priest had, when 
a young man, presumed to claim her as a wife. Also she was 
led to reveal the prognostications of the Magi concerning Jesus. 
Then Rabbi Akeeva left her, with many assurances of friendship, 
sympathy and respect. 

But as soon as he rejoined the assembly of his colleagues 
Rabbi Akeeva exclaimed : Blessed be the name of the God of 
Jacob, who hath revealed his secrets to Akeeva, and made the 


lESAT NASSAR. 


1 68 

reason manifest why this Jesus Nassar is so bold. He is indeed 
worthy that men should put him to death. But since the Roman 
oppressors will not permit us to put any man on trial by the 
Sanhedrim without sufficient accusation, we must make occasion 
to summon this Jesus Nassar before the elders of Israel, and 
then lead him to condemn himself by his own speech. 

When Rabbi Akeeva had related all the particulars of his 
conversation with the Lady Marya, there arose a great hubbub 
among the members. 

Rabbi Simon Iscariot was present with his son, Yehuda, 
(Judas), a young man who had been one of the senior Khaberim, 
at the time that Jesus was among the juniors. Like his father 
he was a religionist of Judaism from sincere conviction that it 
was a divine revelation, whose observance was indispensable to 
obtain the favor of Jehovah. But, although well acquainted with 
the written and oral traditions, and various interpretations of 
Jewish theology, neither Judas nor his father possessed the com- 
binative insight, quick, keen perception and unerring instinctive 
cognition, which could discover the unspoken secrets of the third 
degree. 

Rabbi Simon Iscariot called attention to himself by reaching 
over an excited group that stood round the High Priest, and 
pulling Annas by the shoulder of his cloak, said : Rabbi Yohanan ! 
Just you listen to me, and I will give you some good advice con- 
cerning this Jesus Nassar. 

Annas knew from experience that Simon Iscariot was one of 
those rare men who could give disinterested advice. He quickly 
left the group, and went aside to listen to the old man with 
whom he talked awhile in low tones. 

This action so roused the curiosity of the bystanders, and 
spread to the other groups of talkers, that the hubbub soon sub- 
sided in the effort to overhear what Simon Iscariot’s seemingly 
confidential communication could be. There was therefore an 


THE EiRST Temptation. 169 

impressive and attentive silence when the High Priest came for- 
ward and addressed the audience. 

Men of Israel, our pious Khaber, Simon Iscariot, hath spoken 
words of wisdom unto me. He judges that this fearless deed of 
Jesus Nassar proceedeth, not from proud defiance, but through 
confidence of his mission to the world, according to the teach- 
ings he hath received from the heathen. Now we know that 
such resolute fearlessness is unpardonable sin and wicked bold- 
ness, when exercised against the Elders of Israel, and as Rabbi 
Akeeva said, is worthy of death. But, Oh Khaberim, let us 
remember that what he can do against us, he can also do for us. 
Should he be convinced that Israel is the only and beloved Son 
of God, and he himself but their chosen leader, he would act 
with the same fearlessness against the rulers of the Gentiles. Then 
would his boldness be turned into dauntless courage, which would 
continually strengthen our hearts and hands, and finally give us 
the victory over all who still oppose us. 

After long deliberation by the Convention, it was agreed to 
call Jesus Nassar before their Assembly, and guide their future 
course toward him by his submission to, or defiance of, the Elders 
of Israel. 

Nicodemus, a wealthy and prominent councilman, was pres- 
ent at this meeting. That same night, disguised, and in secret, 
he went to the Palace Grapte, and requested one of the Essene 
retainers to conduct him privately to Jesus Nassar. 

When they were seated, and safe from interruption, Nicode- 
mus informed Jesus for what reasons, and how. Rabbi Akeeva 
had prevailed upon Lady Marya to give him an account of the 
circumstances which had led to her betrothal to Youseph Pandar, 
the annunciation of his birth, the revelation and prophecy of 
his mission by the Magi, and also their visit of adoration. That 
Lady Marya had also been led to betray the fact that she herself, 
in heart, believed her Son to be the Promised Deliverer. 


lESAT NASSAr. 


170 

Yea, replied Jesus Nassar. The All Father hath sent me to 
brmg Light to the world. 

We have heard, continued Nicodemus, that you teach openly 
that the Most High is not propitiated by the bloody death and 
sacrifice of innocent victims. But this hath been attributed to 
your learning of the doctrines of the Essenes and the heathen 
Magi. I have come to pray you to be prudent, and not claim 
for yourself the title of. Son of — God. For the Elders of Israel 
who have hitherto represented their order as the — only begotten 
and beloved Son of the Living God, will not suffer you to live; 
and they are exceeding wroth because you failed to do them 
homage yesterday. 

Verily I say unto you, answered Jesus. Except the order of 
the Elders of Israel be recreated from above, it cannot be the 
Son of God, nor even can it understand the nature of the King- 
dom of God. 

Nicodemus said unto him : How can such an organization 
as the Elders of Israel are, be recreated? It is just as possible 
that a man, after he is old, should enter a second time into his 
mother’s womb and be reborn. 

Jesus answered : Except the teachings and the righteousness 
of Israel be regenerated and transformed in the spirit, they who fol- 
low after such doctrines cannot become partakers of the Kingdom 
of God. 

Ah Khaber ! said Nicodemus after further conversation. 
Thou knowest for how many ages the teachers in Israel have 
prospered, and attained to the high places of the earth, through 
the doctrines and ceremonial righteousness which they imposed 
upon the people. Canst thou believe that they will suffer any 
man to live who will enlighten the understanding of the common 
people, so that they may perceive that God will reveal equal 
knowledge of himself to them as to a High Priest, if they seek 
Him in the right spirit. Also that unless the High Priest seek 


the first temptation. 17 1 

the Almighty in the same manner, his office and his learning will 
profit him nothing. 

Friend Nicodemus, answered Jesus: We, that are born of 
the spirit of God, must not, through fear of imposters and de- 
ceivers of men who can kill the body, become partakers of their 
evil deeds, even by silence. 

Then my lord, urged Nicodemus, anxiously and earnestly, I 
pray you beware, and do not trust yourself without witnesses and 
guards among our elders. You are without guile, and full of 
faith in the triumph of the truth and the divine spirit that work- 
eth in man. But the great majority of our rulers and khaberim, 
are full of guile and craft and envy, and old in experience as op- 
pressors of the laity. They hate the truth as you see it ; and 
have a code of truth which suits their own interests and course of 
life. Do not be deceived to-ntorrow by seemingly pious inquiries 
about your views on Olem Aba, the life to come ; or Olem Azie, 
the present life. They will invite you to appear before the Con* 
vention, but will seek cause against you whereby to condemn you 
to death for blasphemy if you become not subservient to them. 
This I know, and thus have I now warned thee oh beloved and 
noble khaber! For I verily believe that thou art the messenger 
from the Invisible One. But even if it were not so, I should 
have warned thee ; since I perceive that thy purpose is pure and 
noble, and thou art filled with unselfish and disinterested love for 
men, whether Jews or Gentiles. I shall be present at the Con- 
vention to-morrow. Bring with thee, Joseph of Aramathea, as 
thy lawyer, and Youseph Bandar as thy legal father and witness. 
'I he Elders will be guarded in their actions in the presence of 
these two men. Also, let thy Essene and heathen retainers ac- 
company thee, well armed with weapons, and wait as thy guard 
nt the door of the council chamber; for they will not be per- 
mitted to enter. And now, fare thee well. But let it not become 
.known that I have spoken with thee ; for my life would sooner 


172 


lESAT NASSAR. 


or later be taken by the angels of death of the elders, if this my 
act of friendship to thee become known unto them. 

Early on the following morning, a messenger arrived at the 
palace with a courteous request from the President of the Con- 
vention, that his Highness Jesus Nassar should appear before the 
honorable representatives of Israel in the council chamber, to 
speak about certain important matters. 

The Jerusalem Sanhedrists and elders who knew that Jesus 
Nassar did not love pomp and display, were surprised to see him 
come escorted by such an unusually large, magnificent and effi- 
cient retinue of armed retainers. Having however a great love 
of imposing display themselves, they concluded that Jesus Nassar 
had come thus accompanied, either to do them honor, or to im- 
press the delegates with a sense of his own rank and importance. 
Therefore, they felt rather flattered than otherwise, that their col- 
leagues from other lands should be witnesses of what kind of 
proselytes they owned in Jerusalem. So they received Jesus 
Nassar with Youseph Pandar and Joseph of Arimathea, with 
great show of respect and affability, and accorded them seats of 
honor. 

By virtue of having been his special tutor, Ben Parakhai had 
been selected to address Jesus Nassar on the subject of his 
neglect to pay homage. Therefore, after the customary saluta- 
tions and courtesies had been exchanged, he said: 

Oh Jesus Nassar, whom I have always loved and praised for 
your proficiency in sacred lore, and respectful obedience to your 
teachers; tell us now I pray ycu, wherefore you made not 
obeisance unto the Elders of Israel as they passed in glory and 
divine might before the people. 

Courtesy, answered Jesus, demands that the salutations of the 
people receive recognition from the rulers to whom they pay 
respect. 

Do you mean to instruct and rebuke us. Oh Jesus Nassar? 
Are we, the Khaberim who sit in Moses’ seat, to salute the Aam- 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 1 73 

Harth for the homage which is due unto us ? inquired Rabbi 
Akeeva. 

Rabbi Akeeva, replied Jesus, if ye salute your Khaberim only, 
what do ye more than others? Do not the priests of the Gentiles 
likewise. 

As a Khaber, you are not ignorant of our law, that if an Aam- 
Harth had thus publicly despised the Beloved Son and living 
oracles of Jehovah, by neglecting to do homage and laughing as 
they passed, he would merit death, said Akeeva. 

Jesus answered: Rabbi, it is written; I have no pleasure in 
the death of him that is put to death. Therefore, I say unto you, 
God sendeth not his Son into the world to condemn the Aam- 
Harth, but that the people through him might be saved. 

Nay Khaber, spoke up Rabbi Eleazar, the Son of the High 
Priest. Thou knowest full well that our holy rabbis and sages, 
to whom it is given to understand the mysteries of heaven, and 
to counsel the Most High, have said : There is joy before God, 
when those who provoke him perish from the world. 

Thou hast spoken well, and art indeed a worthy Khaber and 
faithful to our holy religion. Rabbi Eleazar, said Akeeva. But 
let me recall the attention of the Convention to the matter be- 
fore us, which is not a question of courtesy between rulers tem- 
poral and their civil subjects, after the manner of the heathen. 
We, be not partakers of the customs of the Gentiles who were 
created to be as cattle for the service of Israel, and not to be our 
instructors. Israel alone is Ben-Adam, i.e.^ Son of Man; be- 
cause our souls have their origin in holy emanations from God, 
and are therefore entitled to make laws for the guidance of the 
people and the salvation of the Gentiles ; whom we call not 
men, because their souls have their origin from the unclean 
spirit. 

Rabbi Akeeva hath spoken the words of truth and wisdom. 
But the soul of our young Khaber, Jesus Nassar, cannot be 
counted as that of a Gentile, because the souls of his righteous 


174 


lESAT NASSAR. 


grandparents were recreated when they entered the congregation 
of Israel, said the High Priest. 

When Ben Parakhai had spoken to the Assembly in general, 
he turned towards Jesus and addressed him. 

Phou knowest full well. Oh Jesus Nassar, that whenever our 
Lord Moses passed before Israel to go into his tent, the people 
stood and worshipped until he had entered, and that he who 
sought the face of Moses was as if he saw God ; which teaches 
us that when the common people meet the Talmud Sages, it is 
just the same as though they saw God face to face. 

As Jesus made no reply, the High Priest, with a significant 
glance around the Assembly, rose and said : Elders and Men of 
Israel! Ye know, that we are not gathered here this day to 
condemn or rebuke our young Khaber; but with full confidence 
in his piety and faithfulness to Israel, to make known his duty 
unto him. If he be Son of God and the Promised One, as he 
hath been taught to believe himself to be, then he is the leader 
and commander and prophet, like unto Moses, who shall enable 
Israel to possess, not a small country like Canaan, but the 
whole earth, its rightful inheritance; conquering and to conquer, 
from the rising of the sun even to the going down thereof. 

Then stretching out his right arm and pointing towards 
Jesus, Caraphas asked: Therefore, Oh Jesus Nassar! I, as the 
High Priest of Israel, adjure thee by the life of God, that thou 
answer us with truth this day. When thou didst neglect to 
worship and do homage before the Elders of Israel, was it be- 
cause thou seekedst thine own glory, to put thyself in their 
place to the world ? 

Jesus answered, I seek not my own glory, but to do the will 
of Him that sent me. 

That is well said, spoke Rabbi Akeeva ; and if it be indeed 
as thou sayest, that thou seekest to do the will of God, remem- 
ber that Jehovah said unto Moses: Thou art not able to perform 
this thing thyself alone. Therefore behold now. Oh Jesus 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 


I7S 


Nassar, the elders and rulers of Israel assembled, upon whom the 
Lord put the spirit of Moses, as it is written : The Lord said 
unto Moses, I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and will 
put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people 
with thee. Thou knowest also that our Khaberim sit in the high 
places of the kingdoms of the inhabited earth. Behold, in a 
moment of time, we will show thee, what control we have of 
them and of all their glory; for they have been delivered unto 
us, and to whomsoever we will, we give the authority. We set 
up those who serve us, and we put down, crush and destroy 
them that oppose us. 

Jesus answered : It is known unto us that ye possess power, 
both openly and in secret ; and that ye exercise it as you. Rabbi, 
have spoken. 

Then, said Akeeva, Eleazar, do thou bring hither the secret 
record, and call the roll of our mighty men who exercise influ- 
ence and authority over the nations of the Gentiles. 

As Rabbi Eleazar read aloud the names of the foreign Jewish 
dignitaries and office holders each man responded either in per- 
son or by delegate. 

Juda, the son of Jacob, known among the Gentiles as the 
house of Saramalla, the bankers to regulate the value of current 
coin, bills of exchange and money loans. Their headquarters, 
Antioch of Syria, and branch houses in all countries of the in- 
habited earth. , 

Joseph, the son of Israel, known as the house of Alexander. 
Bankers, ship owners and custodians of the River Nile. Head- 
quarters, Alexandria of Egypt, and branch houses in all cities 
of the world. 

Phineas, son of Solomon, known as Fanius Marcus, the 
Praetor Perigrinus in the Roman Senate. 

Isaac, son of Eleazar, known as Phrataces, son of Thur- 
musa, the Prime Minister of Parthia. 

Daniel, son of Aaron, known as Polho Severus, the Professor 


176 lESAT NASSAR. 

of the Wisdom of Solomon and Code of Mosaic Laws, at Rome. 

Simeon and Levi, sons of Mordecai, known as Chelchias and 
Dositheus, the generals of the Egyptian army. 

Isaiah, son of Nehemiah, known as Aurelian Recimer, the 
Physician in Chief to Caesar. 

Shual, son of Nahash, known as Demitrius Phalerius, the 
Chief Librarian of the Royal Library at Alexandria, Egypt. 

Samuel, son of Ezra, known as Sasibus of Tarenthum, the 
Captain of the King’s Guard in Egypt. 

Elisha, son of Elijah, known as Hassan Ben Ali, Chief Ma- 
gician and Diviner to Caesar. 

Joseph, son of Sadok, known as Orestes Tarquinus, the Gov- 
ernor of Prisons at Rome. 

David, son of Ezekiel, known as Decius Valerian, the favor- 
ite Actor to Ciesar and Censor of Theatrical Plays. 

Eli, son of Kaleb, known as Diophates, Chief of the Scribes 
at Adiabene. 

So the list went on: Purveyors for Royal Households, Confi- 
dential Eunuchs of Queens, Chamberlins of Kings, Chiefs of 
Bath Houses, Masters of Guilds of Charioteers, Chiefs of Toll 
Collectors, Farmers General of Taxes, Chiefs of the Guilds of 
Pedlars, Merchant Controllers of the Corn Marts, Judges, Chief 
Justices, Privy Councillors, Commissary Generals of the Gentile 
armies. These and many other lucrative and influential offices 
were filled by Jews in Rome and throughout her provinces and 
dependencies-— Carthage, Egypt, Arabia, India, Ethiopia, Par- 
thia Adiabene, Greece, Gaul. 

In some instances, the creed and race of these office holders 
was known to the public. But in many cases it was kept secret, 
because they could carry out their plans more surely, if supposed 
to hold the same religion as the people they controlled. Where 
it was impossible to place one of Hebrew race into a coveted 
office, a subservient proselyte or Gentile was supported by Jewish 
influence. 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. I77 

When Eleazar had ended the roll call, Rabbi Akeeva rose 
and addressed the august assembly, saying : 

Men of Israel and Khaberim ! Are we all agreed to give 
the leadership of our authority to our Khaber, Jesus Nassar, if 
he will accept the oonditions which I shall propose to him? 

The members of the distinguished and imposing Convention 
jeplied with one accord, yea verily, we are agreed ! 

Then Rabbi Akeeva fixed his gaze upon Jesus Nassar, and 
said : Oh, Khaber Jesus Nassar. Thou hast seen and heard that 
the Almighty hath verily and indeed delivered the kingdoms of 
the world and the glory of them unto Israel. Therefore, if thou 
be truly the Appointed One, the Messiah, thou wilt be, not only 
one of us, but also one with us in all things. Thy righteous royal 
grandparents. Princes of Kharax and Adiabene, joined them- 
selves unto Israel; and as thou knowest, being of the third genera- 
tion, we count thee as though thou hadst been of the seed of 
Abraham, in the same sense as our own race of Israel are his de- 
scendants. But think not that we offer thee this honor to be 
named chief of our Union only because of thy royal race and 
proselyte ancestors. That reason will serve us, if it should be- 
come necessary to set thee on the throne of Adiabene, and per- 
adventure also of Parthia. Thou hast now learned from the roll 
call, that there is no lack of scions of Gentile royal houses to 
serve us in those things which we desire to accomplish. Neither 
have we chosen thee because the heathen Magi prophesied that 
thou wilt be the Great Deliverer, the Expectation of the Gentiles, 
for whom they have waited from generation to generation. 
Although this fact, also will be of great use by which the souls 
and minds of the heathen, may be brought into pious subjugation. 

But we agreed to call thee to this sacred office, because thou 
hast been trained by us, in all matters of our holy religion and 
traditions. Thou art yet but a young man, and knowest not 
thine own powers fully. But we, who have watched thee from 
thy earliest childhood, understand the value of thy qualifications 

12 


i*jS 


lESAt NASSAR. 


and abilities. Our Sages, who are already old men, and have 
observed the generations of men that were born and grew in their 
day, agree that such advantages, qualifications and abilities as 
thou hast, have never yet been combined in one person. Nor 
even is it recorded that any such have before us. Therefore, be- 
cause we have meditated on these things, and have taken counsel 
among ourselves, are we agreed that thou canst be of great ser- 
vice to the Chosen of the God of Jacob; and thus wilt thou do 
the will of Jehovah. But it is necessary that thou worship, and 
do our Order the homage due to it, by publicly acknowledging 
our authority as Divine. Then indeed, wilt thou be the Son of 
David, the Messiah King of Israel, the Son of God, the Son of 
Man. 

And now. Oh Khaber Jesus Nassar! wilt thou receive this 
authority at our hands ? 

While Rabbi Akeeva had made this address to him, Jesus Nas- 
sar had listened with undivided attention ; and no man in the as- 
sembly had uttered a word. Only by quiet gestures of approval or 
assent, had the members communicated their feelings to each 
other. At the close of the address, perfect stillness reigned for 
some time. 

While they awaited his answer Jesus Nassar looked around 
this assembly of men, who truly had taken a firm grip on the 
nations and monarchs of the world. Representatives of their 
power in all lands, they sat before him. Gray headed, gray 
bearded men, middle-aged men, a number in the prime of life, 
and some as young as himself. Cloth of gold and costly furs, 
were their raiment; numerous jewels of great size and value 
adorned their persons. Wealth, vast wealth, was represented 
here ; as well as unlimited, even though secretly exercised power. 

Would these* men exercise their world wide influence to 
establish the kingdom of God, justice and rightful dealing in 
the affairs of daily life ; and could their hearts feel that divine 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 170 

love for the human race, which labors to elevate the ignorant, by- 
educating their hands, hearts and intelligence? 

As Jesus looked from one to another of these men, so potent 
to make or mar the lives and fortunes of millions of honest but 
guileless people, and met their glance, the aims of their souls 
were revealed to him, as it were, in a moment of time. 

These Elders and Rulers of Israel had never done anything 
to benefit their own race ; but had ground them down with im- 
positions of tithes, and sacrifices, and offerings, and ceremonial 
mummeries. Power and gain for themselves individually, and 
for their Order collectively, was the only motive and object in 
their existence. They needed him only as an effective instru- 
ment, whereby to increase power, perfect their administration, 
and become all conquering. 

And if, to Ecclesiastical Israel, their own people the Aam- 
Harth, or laity, were of value only as producers and beasts of 
burden, what of the Gentiles ? Was he, Jesus Nassar, to endorse 
the doctrine of these self-constituted gods, that his own race had 
been created to serve as cattle, as well as to help to rivet the 
cruel chains of bondage which were already far too galling on 
the common people of the Jews? 

As his glance fell on. Nicodemus, and met the earnest, sorrow- 
ful gaze, Jesus Nassar seemed to hear again the question : Can a 
man, when he is old, enter again into his mother’s womb and be 
reborn ? 

Then his great soul rose superior to all suggestions of the 
benefits which might be indirectly gained by acknowledging the 
divinity of the authority of Ecclesiastical Israel that now so 
sorely tempted him. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the 
people of God, among all races and nations Jesus Nassar then, 
and forever, cast his lot among them by his answer to these 
representatives. 

He rose ; and standing erect and gracious in their midst, 
spoke with a firm and melodious voice, filled with sadness. 

' 1 ( 


lESAT NASSAR. 


iSo 

Elders, Rulers and Men of Israel! I, Jesus Nassar, have 
heard your words, and now give you .my answer: It is written; 
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou 
serve. 


And if Satan vexing sore, 

Flesh or spirit should assail, 
Thou ! his vanquisher before. 
Grant we may not faint or fail. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XIV. Also pages of 
same, 529, 541, 548, 551, 552, 553, 556-560. 


THE REVELATION. 


i8i 


CHAPTER XV. 


THE REVELATION. 

When Jesus Nassar had, by his answer, refused the overtures 
of the Elders and Rulers, he saluted a farewell to the assembly 
in general, and left the council chamber, followed by Youseph 
Pandar and Joseph of Arimathea. The latter, escorted him to 
the hall where waited the retinue, and skid in a low tone : My 
lord, I will be with you later ; but must now return to the Con- 
vention. 

On his return, Joseph of Arimathea, found the Assembly in 
such a state of amazement that they repeatedly asked each 
other ; What manner of man can this Jesus Nassar be? And no 
one was able to give satisfactory solution of the problem. 

He is mad ! said some. 

He is a fool ! echoed others. 

Perchance he hath become possessed through ambition, sug- 
gested a third party, and aspireth to rule the world alone. It may 
be that he vainly believeth that a miracle will be wrought in his 
favor, which shall overthrow our claim and power. 

There was a general sneer in reply, and after a loud laugh, 
the voice of Rabbi Eleazar was heard with great scorn, saying ; 
With all the marvellous wisdom for which you have given him 
credit. Rabbi Akeeva, the obtuse Gentile head of Jesus Nassar 
cannot perceive that all the miracles Israel ever had, were secretly 
planned and carried out by the Elders in all ages, who used the 
ignorant and obedient credulity of the laity as an effective lever 
and instrument. 

Yea Khaberim, exclaimed Annas the High Priest, with much 
unction. How good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell 
together in unity, And therefore the Most High revealed it to 
our Sages, that He cannot thwart Israel so long as they are 
united in their aims and works, 


i 82 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Let US suppose, said Rabbi Akeeva, that this Jesus Nassar 
hath expectation of gaining such influence as to control the mind 
of C^sar, or of the King of Parthia. He ought to consider that 
in a struggle between us for supremacy, he is comparatively single- 
handed; while our angels (agents) are legion, and could dominate 
the mind and will of Senators and subjects, so as to nullify 
his ascendanc); or else remove the sovereign influenced by 
him. 

Khaberim, just hearken unto me ! exclaimed Rabbi Simeon 
Iscariot ; who regarded EleazaPs speech, as a boast to remind 
the audience of his own reputation for astuteness in discovering 
secrets and mysteries. My opinion is, that if Jesus Nassar were 
ambitious for power he could, with ease long ago have obtained 
some of the highest offices in Parthia and Adiabene. Besides we, 
of the Land of Israel, know that he refused influential and lucra- 
tive offices which were offered him. Nay, he seeketh not political 
power. But he seemeth never satisfied in his search for knowl- 
edge. Doth he not continually study records and laws and re- 
ligions, ancient and modern? And he is already becoming famed 
as a physician, on which subject, I verily believe he is mad ; for 
he troubleth himself with the cures of the dirtiest beggars and 
poorest of the laity, as though they were learned rabbis or 
wealthy nobles. 

Therefore, answered Rabbi Eleazar, will he become danger- 
ous if he gain influence with the laity, whether they be rich or 
poor. For he hath a manner of speech and of answer, which is 
difficult to gainsay. For this reason it were better to put him to 
death. 

But he could not legally be condemned through any words 
which he spake in presence of this Assembly, said Nicodemus. 

We must now act with the wisdom of the adder that hideth 
in the wheat and straw at the time of harvest, suavely spoke 
Rabbi Akeeva. 

Yea, laughed Eleazar malignantly, which stings and draws 


THE REVELATION, 1 83 

its head back into hiding. He can easily be removed by secret 
agency. 

How will you accomplish such a matter if he continue to go 
about accompanied by such a retinue as escorted him to-day, 
and his personal attendants be faithful to him ? asked Joseph of 
Arimathea. 

Then he can perish by accident on land or sea replied Eleazar. 
Are there not bands of robbers, who might waylay him and his 
mother when they travel to Egypt. Or cannot the ship in which 
they sail be taken by pirates, or sink at sea ? What is the loss of 
a ship or of a caravan, when compared to the security of our 
Order? 

Some of the members present approved, while others censured 
such measures. After further discussion, the voice of Simon 
Iscariot was again heard, cheery and kindly. 

I advise that we all unite to bring about a grand wedding. 
Let us marry Jesus Nassar to a wise and pious maiden of Judah, 
who. will soon convert him from the error of his thoughts and 
ways. 

Thy advice is good and sage as ever, replied Ben Parakhai, 
and we have already thought of such means. But hitherto it 
hath been in vain to tempt him, either for marriage or pleasure. 
Women have never been treated with such honor and respect by 
the men of Israel as they receive from Jesus Nassar; but it is of 
the same quality that a good man would render his mother and 
sister. To the women of light minds, who have tried to tempt 
him, he hath ever administered rebuke with such wisdom and 
justice, that they withdrew abashed, or became converted from 
the sinfulness of their doings. 

That is true, said Eleazar, and therefore he must be a sorcerer. 
For he hath verily bewitched the women. Our women who come 
under his influence, no longer accept without doubts and ques- 
tions, the teachings of the Elders that women should continue in 
all subjection and obedience to the men even as our Mother Eve 


184 


lESAT NAS3AR. 


was commanded. But they have become ambitious, and argue 
that the Almighty created Lilith, the first wife,' with Adam as his 
equal. Also, that as Adam was not worthy of her, he got Eve, 
and so got into trouble. Oh Khaberim ! If our women learn 
thus to rebel and blaspheme, our holy religion will surely come 
to naught. Therefore ye perceive that Jesus Nassar must die. 

Some of the delegates shrugged their shoulders and said 
nothing. Others were of the opinion that some precautions must 
be taken; though not such extreme measures as proposed by the 
young, and consequently too ardent Eleazar. Several proposed 
a postponement of judgement until Jesus Nassar should commit 
some other rebellious act. Finally some very aged men gave it 
as their opinion, that, like the majority of young reformers, Jesus 
Nassar would in time become an influential and staunch conser- 
vative. 

That same evening, Joseph of Arimathea went to the Palace 
Grapte, and related to Youseph Pandar, Lady Marya and Jesus 
Nassar what had been said at the Convention concerning Jesus. 

Lady Marya was exceedingly distressed, and blamed herself 
as the cause of the trouble, by her admissions to Rabbi Akeeva. 

Nay, Oh princess and mother, said Jesus. Blame not your- 
self. The Elders are not wroth because of what you believe con- 
cerning me, but because I refuse to worship before them. There- 
fore it is better that I depart to Egypt v/ithout delay. 

And though the years will not change your truth loving 
nature, my Son, they may perchance soften the malignity of your 
enemies, said Youseph Pandar. 

Yea, urged Joseph of Arimathea, I advise, that my lord de- 
part without needless delay, and that the time of his departure 
be kept secret. As I am here, we can prepare the necessary doc- 
uments for the maintenance of his sojourn in Egypt. 

He must be provided with a retinue and with means in ac- 
cordance with his rank, said the Lady Marya. 

Therefore, Oh Princess, replied the lawyer, I advise that 


THE REVELATION. 


185 

Jesus Nassar be now given legal independent control of the prop- 
el ty which his grandparents entailed. You will still have much 
wealth left at your command, and my friend Youseph Pandar 
lacketh not riches and estates of his own. 

I will give him legal control of all my estates immediately, 
said Lady Mary a earnestly. 

And thus will I also do gladly, added Youseph Pandar; for 
is he not our beloved and only heir. 

My lord, and princess replied Jesus to his parents. We 
would not agree to such sacrifice. But if ye will grant us inde- 
pendent authority over a portion of property and retainers, we 
will receive it with thankfulness. 

It was finally decided that Jesus Nassar be given legal control 
of the entailed estates, as also of an additional number of retainers 
and attendants. 

Then Lady Marya, accompanied by Jesus, went to the rock 
hewn secret chamber where, locked in a massive iron box, lay the 
title deeds of the entailed property. 

•When the box was opened, and lier glance lighted on the gifts 
of the Magi; gold, frankincense and myrrh that lay within be- 
side the title deeds, a great pang of sorrow seized her heart. 

Could this be the end of the prophecy of the wise men ? 
Truly, royal power and ecclesiastical sway had been offered to 
her son. But at what price? And he had refused it all! 

She turned to look at liim, and was filled with holy pride at 
the unselfish and heroic intrepidity of her Son. He was stand- 
ing behind her, holding a small silver lamp whose light rendered 
the surrounding gloom only more intense. There flashed upon 
her mind the idea of a tomb with her Son all alone. Marya 
clasped her hands in agony, and bowing her head upon them she 
moaned as she remembered the myrrh : Oh Merciful Father and 
Creator! Is death the only alternative? 

And the shadow of the vilest murder of the ages fell upon 
the great mother heart of our Lady of Sorrows^ 


i86 


lESAT NASSAR. 


The ancient Egyptians exceeded all other nations in their 
fondness for writing, and committed their records to monuments 
of granite and rolls of papyrus that sometimes were one hun- 
dred feet long. Their first king, Mena, who founded Mem- 
phis, reigned about B. C. 5,000, according to Mariette the Egypt- 
ologist. 

The social life, institutions and government of the Egyptians 
all bore a religious impress, and therefore the bulk of Egyptian 
literature was tinted with a religious character. They attained 
to such a high degree of scientific knowledge, that the deepest 
thinkers among the Greeks regarded a journey to Egypt for 
study well worth their while. 

Many of the Egyptian monarchs, from the earliest ages, 
founded libraries in their capitals, and during the reign of 
Ptolemy Soter, B. C. 330-284, Alexandria, then the capital, be- 
came a great resort of artists and scholars, in consequence of the 
foundation of the Alexandrian Museum for the reception of 
learned men and literary treasures. The Chief Library at Alex- 
andria was arranged by Ptolemy Philadelphus, and rendered ac- 
cessible by being placed in the Museum. The number of 
scrolls in the Library at that time was one hundred thousand 
distinct works, besides their duplicates. No expense or labor 
was spared to secure the original writings of all nations who had 
kept records and other literary productions, or their correct 
copies. The number of scrolls steadily increased till they reached 
four hundred thousand, when the Museum accommodations be- 
ing full, a Daughter Library was opened in the Serapeum (great 
temple of Serapis) for the reception of three hundred thousand 
additional scrolls to its library of forty-two thousand. 

To this brilliant centre of letters, the leading schools and first 
university of the world, learned men were attracted from all 
quarters. But in the siege when Julius Caesar fired the city, 
B. C. 47, the Great Library of the Museum was burned, and the 
priceless literary treasures of the now prehistoric ages were thus 


THE REVELATION, 


187 

irrecoverably lost. Anthony subsequently gave Cleopatra the 
Pergamic Collection of parchment books, numbering two hun- 
dred thousand scrolls, which were added to the rolls in the Li- 
brary of the Serapeum. These treasures collected in one place, 
and easily accessible, enabled the members of the Museum to 
pursue the studies most congenial to them. 

The Alexandrian School was chiefly celebrated for its distin- 
guished professors of the exact sciences, including geography, 
astronomy, mathematics, mechanics, natural history, medicine, 
anatomy and jurisprudence. The branches of learning most 
successfully cultivated by the members of the Museum were phi- 
lology and criticism. 

Among the most celebrated scholars were Erastosthenes and 
Strabo the geographers, Hipparcus and Ptolemaeus the astrono- 
mers, Archimedes the mechanician ; Euclid the founder of 
geometry ; Apolodorus, Herophilus and Erasistratus, the anato- 
mists and physicians; Conon, the great astronomer; Sosibus 
and Zoilus, the grammarians; Aristophanes of Byzantium, 
grammarian and critic; Hegesias, the philosopher; Strabo, nat- 
ural philosopher; Lycon of Troas, and Dimitrius Phalereus, the 
orators; Timochares and Aristarchus, the astronomers; Era- 
tosthenes of Cyrene, the founder of the science of mathemetical 
geography; Apelles and Antiphilus, the painters; Apolonius 
the Rhodian; Lycophron, Zenodotus, Theocritus, Philetas, the 
poets, and the versatile Timon. 

From these schools of Egypt once flowed a copious stream 
of knowledge, the benefits of which continued traceable through 
the centuries. And to this university, where the intellectual 
geniuses of all ages and nations had studied, taught and left 
their records and their impress, came Jesus Nassar to learn, and 
to add the impress of his researches, discoveries and influence 
upon the coming ages. 

The city of Alexandria was laid out in the form of a chlamys^ 
or Macedonian cloak. On the north it was washed by the 


i88 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Mediteranean, and on the south by Lake Mareotis, which was 
abundantly fed by numerous canals connected with the River 
Nile; so the products of Egypt could be brought by water to 
this city, and shipped thence to any of the Mediterranean ports. 

Two promontories thrown out by the shore formed a bay, 
and between these lay the long shaped island, Pharos, which 
thus formed a harbor with two entrances. On the extremity ol 
this island stood the lighthouse Pharos, at that time one of the 
wonders of the world. The east end of Pharos was nearest the 
promontory Lochias, and the entrance, or Great Harbor, was 
narrow. The west entrance to this harbor was Emostos. The 
embankment Heptastadium, nine-elevenths of a mile long, formed 
a bridge and aqueduct that extended from the main land to the 
western part of the island. 

On Lochias stood a royal castle, and above it the Alexandrian 
Theatre, in accordance with the Greek custom of placing thea- 
tres where they could command a view of the sea. In the 
vicinity were royal residences, the Csesareum, the market place 
and warehouses. 

At the extreme west end of the city lay the Necropolis, or 
city of the dead, where there were many gardens, tombs and 
embalming establishments. 

Above the ships’ magazines lay Rhakotis, the most ancient 
part of the city, and chiefly inhabited by the Egyptians. 

The Jews, at the time of Tiberius, constituted one-third of 
the whole population, and had their quarter to the east of 
I.ochias, between the sea and the main street at whose east end 
was the Ganopic Gate. Outside this gate lay the hippodrome, 
and further, the suburb of Nicopolis with its amphitheatre and 
race course, where the quinquennial games were celebrated. 
About thirteen miles from Alexandria, in this direction, lay the 
pleasure-loving town of Canopus. 

The Bruchium quarter was walled in, and contained the pal- 
aces and public buildings. It lay on the main land, between 


THE revelation. 1S9 

Lochias and the Heptastadium, and occupied about one-third of 
the whole city. 

The whole of Alexandria was intersected by streets practical 
for wagons and riders, but the two broadest were more than one 
hundred feet in width, paved with granite, and crossed each 
other at a right angle. On each side of the causeway ran foot 
pavements with arcades. 

The Gymnasium was a most beautiful building with colo- 
nades over six hundred feet in length. In the middle lay the 
courts of justice and groves. 

The buildings of the Museum were vast and artistic. The 
Hall for walking was an extensive court shaded with trees, and 
provided with fountains and benches. The Hall for sitting, 
used for purposes of business and study, was a covered colonade 
closed on one side. Here the scholars assembled, and the pupils 
listened to the precepts of their Masters. A large building con- 
tained the dining room for the scholars residing at the Museum, 
and the members were arranged at their repasts according to the 
schools to which they belonged — Platonists, Aristotelians, Stoics. 

Platonists taught an elevated, rational and moral conception 
of the laws and forces of the universe. Aristotelians, the Sect of 
Peripatetics, so called because they taught and disputed questions 
while walking. The School of Stoics taught that men should be 
free from passion, and submit without complaint to the unavoid- 
able necessity by which all things were governed. 

The Museum, was presided over by 'a priest appointed by the 
Egyptian Kings, but at this time by the Roman Emperors. Each 
different department elected a president, and the body of presi- 
dents formed a council whose deliberations w^ere presided over 
by the neutral priest appointed by the government. The society 
possessed revenues in common, and besides the revenues enjoyed 
by the Museum in its corporate capacity, a yearly salary was 
paid to each member. 

The Serapeum, Temple of Serapis, was not surpassed in 


lESAT NASSAE. 


196 

grandeur by any building in the world, except the Roman 
Cai)itol. For here Greek love of beauty was combined with 
Oriental taste for gorgeous magnificence. It stood on an emin- 
ence which was reached on one side by a carriage road, and on 
the other by a flight of steps which led to a platform with a 
vaulted roof, borne by four columns. Beyond this, were colon- 
ades containing chambers set apart for the worship of the God, 
and a number of lofty halls which contained a library of three 
hundred thousand volumes. The interior of the colonades were 
richly painted and the ceilings and columns gilded, and there 
were separate apartments for readers and copyists. 

There were laboratories, store rooms, refectories and assembly 
rooms for the teachers and disciples and the high priests of the 
temple. There were kitchens and bakehouses and rooms for the 
hundreds of slaves and menials employed in the precincts. In the 
basements were cells for penitents and recluses, and underground 
halls, grottoes, galleries and catacombs dedicated to the practice 
of the mysteries and the initiation of neophytes. 

On the roof of this grand pile stood various observatories ; 
among them one erected by Eratosthenes for the study of the 
heavens. Here Claudius Ptolomaeus had watched and worked, 
and astronomers, stargazers, horoscopists and Magi spent their 
nights. 

The Deity, to whom this structure was consecrated, was 
recognized both by Greeks and Egyptians, and was worshipped 
in common. Asar-Hapi or Serapis, represented the principle 
which revives everything dead, the Great Regenerator. 

Within the Sanctuary stood the incomparably beautiful statue 
of the God, overlaid with precious metals and mounted on a 
throne of gold that blazed with jewels. An immense curtain, 
glittering with gold and jewels, hung before this Holy of Holies. 

An ingenious opening in the always dark or twilit sanctuary 
admitted, when needed, the rays of sunlight to fall on the mouth 
of the image during divine service. There was also a contrivance 


THE REVELATION. 


191 

by which the minister or confidential assistant of the High Priest 
could illumine, with a glowing concentrated light, the Holy of 
Holies, and extinguish the same without apparent human inter- 
ference. Not even the initiated were let into the secret which 
was transmitted to the High Priest alone, who selected for a 
minister some person on whom he could rely as coadjutor. 

Thus the House ofSerapiswas a world in itself, and centuries 
had enriched it with Avealth, beauty and the noblest treasures of 
art and learning. Magic and witchcraft hedged it with a maze 
of mystical, symbolical secrets, and philosophy had woven a tissue 
of speculation around the God. 

As the Serapeum was the centre of Helenic culture in Alex- 
andria, no wonder that disaster for the world was predicted if the 
Serapeum should be destroyed. 

In a short period of time Jesus Nassar had gained the respect 
and admiration of all scholars with whom he came in contact in 
Alexandria. He won the affection of the majority of his teachers 
and fellow-students at . the Museum by his wonderful abilities, 
diligent labors and beautiful character. The range of his studies 
embraced all the sciences and schools of philosophy during the 
years of his residence at Alexandria. But his favorite pursuits were 
medicine, history and philology. In these, he learned to know 
his felloAv-man of all ages and climes, and his love for the whole 
human race enabled him to understand it, as it had never been 
apprehended before. Being already an expert physician before 
he came to Egypt, Jesus Nasssr continued his loving ministra- 
tions to the sick and needy. Some remarkable cures, effected by 
him and his mother among the poor who everywhere were the 
recipients of their bounty became so noised about that many 
nobles and patricians sought medical advice, and were healed by 
the Lady Marya and her Son, when all other physicians had 
failed of success. 

Among the medical students there was a young man several 
years older than Jesus Nassar. He was grandson of Sheshonque, 


192 iESAT NASSAR. 

the venerable and much respected High Priest of tlie Serapeimi, 
the only child of his only daughter, the devout and gentle Lady 
Nutbennu, who became a widow when her boy, Imhotep, was 
seven years old. The lady had married a nobleman of her own 
race, like herself, descended of a long line of Egyptian patricians, 
and allied to the royal family of the Ptolomies. He had been a 
man of generous nature, but too easily led by those who made a 
display of affection for, or interest in him. 

It had been the great desire of his mother’s and grandfather’s 
hearts, that Imhotep should succeed to the High Priest’s office. 
With this end in view. Lady Nutbennu, had, on the death of her 
husband, placed her son with her father ; and because she also 
believed herself not as competent as the High Priest to train a 
boy. 

Imhotep had many noble qualities. But like his father, he 
was too easily influenced by others, and imagined that the re- 
flexion of their opinions was really his own independent and dis- 
cerning judgment. Intelligent and inquisitive, his life at the 
Serapeum, as the grandson of the High Priest, necessarily initia- 
ted him into some pious frauds. 

When he became a student, this fact, added to the character- 
istics of his nature, made him the easy prey of a certain class with 
whom he came in contact. These men, while innately evil, live 
and act so as to appear virtuous and liberal minded enough, not 
to be trammdled by the creed they profess. At the same time, 
they insolently deride the conscientious beliefs of other religions, 
and live a long life of vice in moderation. Therefore, such are 
the cause of the ruin of many of the noblest and most promising 
boys and youths who lack keen perception. 

Incited by such companions, and flattered by them as a phe- 
nomenon who had the courage to assert his convictions, and use 
independent discriminating judgment in matters of faith and 
actions of life, Imhotep soon became the slave of vices which he 
despised and denounced in others. To remonstrances of his 


THE REVELATION. 


193 


grandfather and sorrowful pleadings of his mother, both of whom 
he sincerely loved, he at first gaily replied that he was not like 
other men, but could control or change his whole course of life 
whenever he determined so to do. But after a few years his 
moral nature deteriorated so far, that he became brutal and 
blasphemous. 

Imhotep had entered with much zest on the study of medicine; 
for the practice of which he evinced decided ability. But vicious 
indulgence had weakened his intellect to such an extent that he 
began to imagine himself most wise when he was most foolish. 
Some began to regard him as insane, and others as vicious beyond 
redemption ; and opined that he be left to go on his course un- 
hindered. He was generally regarded as possessed by evil spirits; 
and some specialists of the occult sciences, in return for large sums 
of money paid them by the sorrowful grandfather and heart- 
broken mother, muttered exorcisms, provided charms, and admin- 
istered potions of dissolved mummies and other vile ingredients. 
Friends who had expected and hoped great or good things from 
his future, pitied him, but gradually withdrew their companion- 
ship and friendship from Imhotep, while those whose influence 
had well nigh ruined him, and those who envied his rank and 
prospects, used him as a target for their shafts of ridicule, and 
not infrequently as an unconscious tool whereby to promote the 
success of their wicked designs. 

The teachers at the Museum, who in the beginning had taken 
great interest in him, finally wearied of his foolish vices and of 
the coarse boastfulness in which he began to indulge. But they 
bore with him, out of pity, and respect for his kindly grandfather 
and heartbroken mother. And thus, the withdrawal of their 
social companionship by the prudently virtuous, left Imhotep 
entirely dependent upon unprincipled or evil men for intercourse; 
and these experienced much delight in leading him to expose 
his foibles and weaknesses to the contempt of the public. 

It was at this time that Jesus Nassar entered the Museum. 

13 


194 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Filled with divine pity for the young man, he soon perceived that 
Imhotep was not innately vicious; but on the contrary that un- 
derneath all this accumulation of folly there still lived the noble 
qualities, though greatly weakened. Also, that though easily in- 
fluenced and led astray by those who he imagined knew more 
of life than he did Imhotep’s nature had a strain of firmness, 
which, if cultivated for the right, would greatly assist him to 
redeem himself. 

It was indispensable, first to prove to Imhotep’s mental satis- 
faction that this class of people, although full of craft, envy and 
malignancy, were intellectually and morally vastly the inferiors of 
those whom they derided. That realizing this galling fact by the 
natural instinct wherewith the inferior recognizes his superior, 
their highest ambition was to drag the moral and intellectual 
powers and standard of others, down to a lower level than their 
own, and thus to raise themselves. Also, that while promulgating 
what they termed liberal views, this class were themselves the 
abject slaves of the silliest superstition. The next step was to 
bring Imhotep to realize that he had been but as plastic clay 
in the hands of these malignant people while believing himself to 
be folloAving out his own discriminating independent judgment. 
Also that he had allowed his powers of self control and precep- 
tion to become weakened, by lying dormant. The third import- 
ant step in the redemption of this young man was to bring him 
to understand, realize and see for himself how this envious class 
betrayed and still influenced him, so that he constantly exposed 
himself to the contempt, ridicule or pity, of the general public j 
while they, who incited him made merry among themselves over 
their success. 

It was a hard task, which would involve the exercise of un- 
wearying patience, constant self-denial, and ceaseless watchful- 
ness for right opportunities to administer the several treatments. 
But the divine love of Jesus for the stray sheep his heavenly 
Father had sent him to find and restore, conquered all difficulties. 


THE REVELATION. 


Imhotep at first avoided this prince of Kharax and Adiabenc, 
whose fame for learning, wisdom and the noblest highest practical 
morality had reached Egypt long before. He could not but 
realize how he had fallen; but he insanely imagined that he 
could retrieve, and even attain higher standing by plunging 
deeper into the follies of the vicious and improvident, and thus 
gain a following by association with them. 

But the natural impulses of Jesus Nassar were to save from 
harm and sorrow, and to restore to perfection and happiness. 
Joined to his infinite love and compassion, these characteristics 
made him a powerful foe to vice. He so won Imhotep’s friend- 
ship and confidence that the young man became his constant 
follower, and looked up to him as to a wise teacher and true friend. 
At his mother’s house, Imhotep frequently met the Lady Marya, 
and often accompanied Jesus Nassar to visit her and Youseph 
Bandar, who unknown to him, ha-d both combined with Jesus 
to redeem him from the errors of his life. Not only by loving 
companionship, wise influences for good, and opportune ex- 
posures of the malignant and vicious, but also by medicines that 
weakened and finally destroyed the unhealthy appetites, and 
strengthened the shattered nerves of the abused body and 
clouded brain, did Jesus Nassar, with time, heal and restore to 
his right mind and physical vigor, the grandson of the High 
Priest of Serapis. 

This perfect cure of so well known and prominent a man gave 
rise to much speculation and a variety of opinion concerning Jesus 
Nassar. A man who lived such a sinless life himself, and yet 
could cure one who had wallowed in the mire, must be an incar- 
nated Deity, said the pious and thinking population, and many 
of them became his disciples. 

A man who can change an insane and brutalized being into 
a rational physician as this Imhotep is now, must be the greatest 
magician, and in league with the arch devil, who perchance re- 
leased him this captive on advantageous conditions, said the men 


lESAT NASSAR. 


196 

who pretended to possess a knowledge of magic and witchcraft. 
And the majority of frivolous and unthinking people, believed 
them. 

The venerable Sheshonque and his gentle daughter had mar- 
velled greatly that Jesus Nassar should evince any interest in 
Imhotep. They feared that one so wise and of such stainless 
repute would soon regard their erring child with scorn and loath- 
ing. Therefore they dared not hope that the friendly care of 
Jesus would continue long enough to be of permanent value to 
their son. 

But as time passed, and spite of many apparent discourage- 
ments, the strong and loving companionship was not withdrawn, 
and Imhotep gradually, but surely, and step by step, continued to 
recover, until the cure was complete. The High Priest and 
Lady Nutbennu said to each other: This Jesus Nassar is surely 
the Great Deliverer, of whom the Ancient Assyrian sybils and 
prophets said : That he would break the captives chains. And 
they spoke thus of him to all their friends and acquaintance. 

One day, at a great gathering of priests, scholars and philoso- 
phers of the Serapeum and Museum, the subject of the many 
marvelous cures which had been effected by Jesus Nassar and 
the Lady Marya, was discussed. Some of the philosophers 
attributed the inferiority of the professional’ physicians to Jesus 
and Marya to the fact that they did not study to improve them- 
selves in the art of healing, while several of the medical frater- 
nity who were present declared that they had thoroughly mas- 
tered the science of healing, and there was nothing more left 
to be learnt, and that if Jesus and Marya were more suc- 
cessful than the physicians it was because they possessed occult 
powers. 

Finally appeal was made to the High Priest whose family 
had been so signally benefited by Jesus’ skill; and he was asked 
to explain whether the wonderful cures effected by Jesus were 
due to his superior knowledge of medicine and a better under- 


THE REVELATION. 1 97 

standing of the treatment of patients, or whether it was simple 
magic. 

Friends and colleagues, said the venerable Sheshonque in 
reply, I bow with gratitude before the Great One who caused me 
to live to witness the works and hear the words of this Jesus 
Nassar. The power by which he worketh, what the unreasoning 
masses term miracles, is not magic, nor is it supernatural ; but it 
is of the Good, Eternal, Beneficent One. I have watched this 
Jesus and studied his methods; and now understand that he is in 
deed and in truth, the Great Physician, and therefore the Great 
Deliverer! Success and failure depend largely upon men tiiem- 
selves. The diseased must co-operate with his physician : he 
must determine to get cured, not according to his own inclina- 
tions, but contrary to them if need be. He must believe that 
the physician is competent to cure ; because such faith will regu- 
late his actions in strictest accord with the physician’s treatment 
and instructions. They also who have charge of the sick must 
be competent, faithful and obedient. 

But alas, all physicians are not competent, and some are un- 
worthy of their noble profession. First : Some physicians, 
though skilful, depend entirely on the efficacy of their drugs, and 
would treat a delicate child just as they would a giant among 
savages ; and they do not seem to understand that the constitu- 
tions of men differ according to their spiritual development, and 
that of their ancestors. Others fear to offend their patients and 
thus lose custom by plain warning or rebuke if need be. These 
relegate the duty of moral influence to the priest, who, without 
the co-operation of the physicians, is but half equipped for the 
battle against wrong and consequent suffering. Some become 
physicians for revenue alone ; and, although despising the ignor- 
ance or moral weakness of their patients will not administer 
such treatment or influence the sick one in such manner as to 
weaken and subordinate the passions, whose indulgence by the 
patient, must occasionally prove a source of gain to the 


lESAT NASSAU. 


198 

physicians. There is another class ; and these ought to be 
driven out of the profession. Wholly carnal minded themselves, 
they judge the rest of the human race by their own low stand- 
ard. But the man of God is the physician who seeketh not only 
to attain to all existing knowledge of his profession and art 
but also striveth to add thereto. He it is, that laboreth to re- 
store his patient physically, and mentally and morally if need be, 
to the perfect condition in which God placed man in the world 
for development. This physician realizes that his, above all 
other professions, is the High Priest’s office between man and his 
Creator. Such a one is this Jesus Nassar, and all other physi- 
sicians who will follow his example. 

In the midst of his great gladness, the heart of the High 
Priest would sometimes be overshadowed by a great fear lest 
Imhotep might relapse when Jesus Nassar should depart. He 
often consulted with Jesus about his grandson, and one day 
asked him what, in his opinion, could have been the principal 
cause of Imhotep’s atheism and debasement, since, as a child, he 
had possessed more than ordinary reverence for the Deity and 
sacred things. 

He hath never spoken plainly, replied Jesus Nassar; but from 
his arguments, I understood he was convinced that fraud was 
perpetrated by the priests in visual and oral manifestations of the 
Invisible Supreme. To a reverential nature, with an enthusiastic 
and social temperament, such discovery is fraught with greatest 
danger, because they cannot gain the sympathy of the perpetra- 
tors of the fraud nor that of their fanatical adherents. Therefore 
they seek the society of those who profess to be untrammelled by 
any creed. To those of reserved dispositions the danger is com- 
paratively small, since it is natural for them to take things philo- 
sophically, and to watch and judge the actions of the free thinker, 
as well as those of the religious zealot, or of the hypocrite. Con- 
sequently, they are not injuriously influenced by any of these, 
but realize that there is a just, wise and beneficent Creator, whose 


THE REVELATION. 


199 

relationship to man is not understood by the fanatic, the hypo- 
crite and the unbeliever. 

These reasons and results are true to nature, Oh Blessed 
Friend, said the High Priest ; and I now understand how you led 
Imhotep to realize that the discovery of fraud perpetrated by others 
through mistaken religious zeal, or love of power and gain, is no 
excuse for unbelief, or for foolish license in ourselves. You have 
also convinced him, that the manifestations of the Creator’s 
approbation or displeasure consist, not of clever tricks, which can 
be reproduced by the skilful chemists and mechanicians. The 
manifestations are to be seen all around us, above us, beneath us, 
and most wonderfully and powerfully by the divine within us. 

The venerable Sheshonque paused, and gazed at the deep 
and cloudless blue of the sky for awhile, as though in doubt about 
some matter that evidently troubled him. Then turning to Jesus 
he said : In the length of age and number of years I could be your 
great grandsire, but I now will speak to your Highness as to a 
friend and equal. My grandson continually urgeth me to expose 
what he nameth the Great Deceit. But I succeeded to the office, 
duties and traditions of my predecessors, and was taught to hold 
these mysteries as sacred trusts committed to the priests, whereby 
they might help the faith of the people and keep them from un- 
belief and license in sin. 

Jesus Nassar replied: Have you never considered most 
Reverend Sir, that the people, of whom the learned are but a part, 
also have intelligence which might lead them to compare the 
temple manifestations with the great incomprehensible forces 
around and in themselves, and thus be led to see that a deity 
who is represented as occupying himself with puerile material 
appearances and uttering ambiguous oracles in certain localities 
through the intervention of special professions, could not be the 
same One who is the Creator of the infinite universe with its mar- 
vellous and perfect details free for the study and observation of 
all men. Is it not just such comparisons that lead men to doubt 


200 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the existence of a Supreme Intelligent Creator and Father whom 
they do not understand, because of the material manifestations in 
the temples, which they do understand. 

The High Priest sat silent awhile with bowed head. Then 
with a deep sigh which was almost a groan he rose and said: 
Come with me. Oh Thou, who I believe art an incarnation of 
the Deity of Truth, and I will show thee how we perform the 
mysteries. 

They had been sitting on the portico of the High Priest’s 
private library which adjoined the Sanctuary. This contained a 
secret entrance to the subterranean chambers and laboratory, 
where were stored the chemicals and mechanism that produced 
the concentrated glowing brightness which the people were 
taught to believe was the manifestation of the Glory of the Lord 
in the Holy of Holies. 

With unshed tears in his aged though still keen eyes, and in 
low tones which trembled occasionally with the bitter heart pain 
of one who bids perchance a long farewell, the venerable Shes- 
honque explained to Jesus Nassar all the workings by which the 
Glory was produced, as also of the Voice of the Oracle. 

Jesus Nassar spoke no word, feeling too much respect and 
sympathy for the old man’s grief to add to his pain by comments. 

When they returned, and were again seated in the portico, 
the High Priest turned to Jesus Nassar and asked: What say 
you now to these things ? 

Think you not, Reverend Sir, that you would exert a greater 
influence for good on the people if you were to tell them the 
truth; that you make use of this light only as a symbol that all 
light of Wisdom cometh from the Father of Light, the Great 
One; who is invisible to the material eye of man in this life? 
And rather than give ambiguous replies which have always 
caused more harm than good, were it not more benificent to 
give the people the benefit of your own experience and knowl- 


THE REVELATiOK, 


±Ot 

edge of life by kindly advice, when they seek for counsel in their 
doubts and troubles ? 

The venerable ecclesiastic gazed at Jesus with love and ad- 
miration while he was speaking. Then he smiled as he replied : 
I have well grounded doubts that the people in whom you have 
so great faith are at all desirous or willing to receive, or accept the 
naked truth. They love to be religiously mystified. There is a 
certain contentment in the personal irresponsibility attached to 
the incomprehensible. You live a life that suits your inclinations 
or interest. If, according to the tenets of your creed, it is a sin- 
ful one, you simply do penance and bring the prescribed offering. 
You thus appease the anger of your Deity. Why he should be 
appeased by a gift of what is always his own is not your business, 
but the priest’s who understands the mysteries. Y ou have simply 
to return to your business pursuits and pleasures with a cleared 
conscience till the next offering or penance is due. 

Said Jesus Nassar: Is not such a state the result rather of 
the teachings of ages than the natural tendency of the human 
soul which seeks to ascertain the truth ? 

It may be as you say, replied the High Priest. But I have 
lived nearly one hundred years, and my experience has been 
that, in the majority, the craving for the mysterious and the 
incomprehensible is so deeply rooted, that when one creed is 
abjured, because of the conviction that it contains a few deceits 
or perchance only errors, people generally embrace another 
whose frauds are of greater magnitude. Without offense to your 
Highness, let us consider individual cases rather than generalities. 
There were, for example, your ov/n grandparents; people of in- 
telligence, education and the highest standard of morality. They 
believed themselves to be conscientiously convinced that the 
worship of the Deity through the manifestations of nature as 
taught by Magianism was idolatrous, and that the grand doc- 
trines of Zoroastrianism were erroneous. Did they, by the 
means of their intelligence and the advantageous resources of 


202 


lESAT NASSAR. 


education and wealth investigate the character of the creed of 
Judaism before they embraced it and entailed its yoke on their 
descendants ? No, they credulously accepted the representations 
of its missionaries that it was a direct revelation from the Creator 
to a favored race. 

Of what does this history and creed of Judaism consist, for 
which they abjured their national religion and cut their children 
adrift from their own race ? Its history is a collection of frag- 
ments from the histories of the nations in whose lands Hebrews 
settled at various periods since their ancestors immigrated into 
Syria and Egypt. In these fragments their Scribes made occa- 
sional changes of names of prominent heroes, of the chronology 
of creation and subsequent dynasties, added accounts of events 
in their own career and of marvelous incidents as interpositions of 
a partial Deity, but which you as an Initiate know to be allegories. 
Records thus adapted, form a history of the origin and growth 
of the Israelite Confederacy, whose creed like their history is a 
selection of portions of the religions of other peoples. 

It was because I perceived these things. Reverend Sir, that I 
withstood the Elders of Israel, taught the truth and came to 
Alexandria to make further research into Greek learning and 
Egyptian records. My heavenly Father cast my lot in this 
world in such wise, that I might learn the truth of its past and 
perceive the errors of the present. Therefore I accept the work 
which such knowledge entails — to teach the truth to the people. 

Have you counted the cost, my divine friend? inquired the 
old man, sorrowfully. We of the Egyptian religion will per- 
chance not receive your teachings ; but since we count it iniquity 
to stop the manifestation of a God we will not hinder you either. 
Neither will the Greeks, Romans nor Parthians who allow 
liberty in religion. But you are counted as a Jew by all these 
nations on account of your birth as a member of that creed. 
Judiasm alone allows no freedom for man’s conscience, but 
excommunicates, and persecutes and puts to death those who 


THE REVElATiONi 


^63 


refuse to accept and indorse the traditions of its accepted autho- 
rities. Teach not their sacred authorities : “ The best among 

the Gentiles, kill ; throw into actual dangers them that forsake 
Judaism, and if they are in danger, remove all means for their 
escape. If a heretic return to the faith, let him die at once.” 

I have counted the cost, replied Jesus Nassar, and have 
chosen. My work shall be to withstand all deceit that tendeth 
to enslave and hold in bondage the mind and soul of man. 
Truth must prevail when it is revealed to the people. 

But how will you reveal it ? questioned the experienced ec- 
clesiastic. The generality of the masses are illiterate, being too 
poor or too indolent to learn, whether among the Jews or other 
nations. You will teach orally, and the priests will pronounce 
the ban upon those who will listen to you. True, the intelligent 
and educated fear not any spiritual injury from the ban, either 
here or hereafter. But social ostracism, ruin of business and the 
risk of being murdered by the angels of death of the elders, will 
be hindrances quite as effectual to them, as superstitious terrors 
are to the illiterate and unthinking masses. 

Take another view, he continued. Let us suppose that you 
reveal to the Egyptians and Greeks the means whereby the 
Glory in the Temple of Serapis is manufactured, and prove to 
the Jews that the Shekhenah in their Temple of Onias at Bubas- 
tis is produced in exactly the same manner. With your knowl- 
edge and skill in chemistry you could reproduce an exact coun- 
terpart whereby to convince the doubting. Would they accept 
such evidence ? They would first consult their priests, who 
would satisfactorily explain that you worked the same kind of 
miracle as the Glory by the power of the Evil One; even as the 
magicians reproduced the signs which Moses presented as his 
divine credentials at the court of Pharaoh. Always remember 
that the generality of the masses, from long disuse, are too indo- 
lent to use the intellect, too vain of their own craft or shrewd- 
ness to be convinced that they with their ancestors could have 


264 


iESAT NASSAR. 


been so easily deceived. Therefore are the masses too ready to 
accept a creed and code of morals that will not clash with fa' 
vorite material pursuits. 

You may turn to the patricians and the philosophers among 
whom you have already gained some noted men as your disci- 
ples. But the generality of the educated and intellectual, though 
convinced of the truth, will shrug their shoulders, admire your 
courage, smile at your guileless enthusiasm and inquire : What 
other means you propose to substitute, whereby the ecclesiastics 
and elders shall render law abiding the lump of humanity that is 
of the earth, earthy ? 

Whence did Onias obtain the practical knowledge how to 
produce the Shekhenah, inquired Jesus, seeing that he did not 
study the sciences, and the Jewish High Priests had lost that art 
with the Ark at the time of the Dispersion? 

I can inform you of all the particulars, since my great, great 
grandfather was the High Priest at the Serapeum at that time. 
The leaders who first introduced the Egyptian Glory and Sacred 
Ark into the Jewish worship, probably did so with the laudable 
endeavor to win their people from the worship of grosser mate- 
rial manifestations of the Deity. The secret of producing the 
Light seems to have been lost for awhile after the decease of 
Moses and Joshua. But when King Solomon was manied to an 
Egyptian princess, who brought her own priests with her, Solo- 
mon regained the secret. During the Dispersion by Nebuchad- 
nassar, the creed of the Jews was purified by the religion of the 
Persians to such an extent that they did not relapse into the 
worship of image representation, as they had done previously. 
But they could not understand monotheism, and retained their 
former ideas of a trinity, which they united under one name : 

Ya-Ho-Veh, the male and female principles with desire as the 
uniting and emanating spirit.’’ Not possessing the secret how to 
reproduce the Glory in the Temple, built under the patronage of 
the Persian monarchs, the leaders taught their people that the 


THE REVELATION. 


205 


Deity had ceased its manifestations on account of Israel’s trans- 
gressions and backslidings. When Onias, deprived of the Jerusa- 
lem succession, arrived in Alexandria, such was his teaching. 

The High Priest, my ancestor, had some years before that 
event, taken as protegee a young Jewish lad who came from 
Jerusalem. Although apparently dull in comprehension of any 
other science, he was remarkably skilful in mechanics and had 
not his equal throughout Egypt in that craft. The High Priest 
first employed him about the various buildings of the Serapeum, 
and finding this Judah Levi diligent, obliging and honest, ap- 
prenticed him to learn the trade for which he showed much apti- 
tude and talent. Judah Levi embraced our religion, entered the 
priesthood and was appointed to the office of assistant to the 
High Priest as soon as it became vacant. He was given this 
position on account of his mechanical skill, which enabled him 
to attend to the manifestations of the Glory and of the Oracle ; 
also to keep the requisite mechanisms in working order. 

When Onias arrived in Alexandria great sympathy was ex- 
pressed and generous hospitality tendered him by the Jews of 
Egypt, and he was requested to address the chief congregation 
on the Day of Atonement. With his priest-teacher, Judah Levi 
attended the services of the Synagogue to hear the distinguished 
priest-orator from Jerusalem. But when Onias with great zeal 
denounced the sins of Israel, who he said had learned the ways 
and works of the heathen, and had thus offended Jehovah so 
that he no donger manifested his Glory in his Temple, the priest 
noticed that Judah Levi suppressed a fit of laughter with great 
difficulty. 

After this, Judah Levi was frequently noticed in the neighbor- 
hood of the house where Onias lodged and of every synagogue 
where he was to address a congregation. These facts were re- 
ported to the High Priest who suspected him of an inclination 
to backslide. Fearing to lose so useful a coadjutor, my ancestor 
loaded Judah Levi with honors and emoluments, But at the 


2o6 


lESAT NASSAR. 


same time he had him so strictly watched that he could have no 
converse with any person except in the presence of a priest or 
lay brother. These had their instructions to secure for Judah 
Levi a private interview with Onias if they themselves could 
• watch and listen unseen. Judah Levi having been of the un- 
learned, could only speak the common dialect of the Jews which 
the appointed spies understood perfectly, although he was not 
aware of that fact. The opportunity finally presented itself. 
Judah Levi first made himself known to Onias as a co-religionist 
by password and sign. Then he proceeded to inquire boldly, 
why, if Onias was such a righteous man as reputed, he was not 
righteous enough to produce a Shekhenah for Israel. Onias 
first took him for a lunatic, then for a mocker and blasphemer. 
But Judah Levi soon secured a promise under solemn oath, that 
Onias would constitute him his partner and equal in all things 
except the title of High Priest. He then contracted to go with 
Onias and cause the manifestation of the Shekhenah in his 
Temple, as soon as he could secure a congregation in Egypt. 

The spies not knowing the secret of his utility, did not 
realize the loss which the desertion of Judah Levi would entail 
upon my ancestor. They returned to the Serapeum to report, 
but Judah Levi never returned, and all search proved vain. 
Some years later, my ancestor saw him again in Memphis, after 
Onias had secured and restored the temple of Skekhet at Bubastis 
for a Jewish Temple. Under the name of Levi Kohen, and with 
a pedigree reaching back without a break to Aaron, their first 
High Priest, Judah Levi lived in great state ; possessed of much 
wealth, influence and the veneration of all the Jews. 

No darkness have we who in Jesus abide : 

The Light of the World is Jesus ! 

We walk in the Light when we follow this Guide, 

The Light of the World is Jesus. 


S :e Appendix corresponding chap. XV. Also pages of same, 
555> 256-560. 


THE ABJURATION. 


207 


CHAPTER XVI. 


THE ABJURATION. 

Like the Essenes of Palestine, the Therapeuti of Egypt only 
partially adopted the creed of Judaism. They were physicians 
who studied the art of medicine as a science, and were duly 
qualified to practise the art of healing. They chose thoir places 
of residence outside of walled cities, preferring to live in rural 
districts, not from misanthropy but to avoid associations with 
uncongenial surroundings. They therefore formed settlements 
of their own people in the vicinity of cities, towns and villages, 
but did not crowd their houses close to each other. Thus they 
secured good sanitary conditions, privacy for domestic life, soli- 
tude for study and fellowship for social life and mutual protec- 
tion. The houses were simple in construction and plain in 
^furniture, but scientifically arranged in regard to health and 
comfort, being cool in summer and warm in cold weather. 
Each house contained a sacred shrine and a monastery or private 
study to which they could retire for religious duties or the^ pur- 
suit of study. 

They were very abstemious, and their diet was exceedingly 
simple, consisting in general of bread, water and plain cooked 
vegetables. Wine, or food that contained blood were never 
introduced in their public meals and assemblies. They practised 
frequent fastings as a means whereby to subjugate carnal 
appetites and clear the intelligence for contemplation of things 
unseen. 

The raiment of the Therapeuti was very plain, but sufficient 
to ward off cold and heat according to the climate and season. 
The outdoor garment being a cloak of shaggy hide in winter and 
a cloak of linen in summer. 

Their doctrines taught that man must endeavor to see God 



2o8 


lESAT NASSAR. 


without interruption to the spiritual sight, without material mani- 
festation, not even that of the Sun, since that is visible to the 
outward sense. 

The society of the Therapeuti possessed a number of valuable 
ancient records, many of which were written in cypher under the 
form of allegory, the interpretation of which was confined to 
their own sect. 

They prayed twice a day, at sunrise and sunset, and spent 
much time in meditation and study. The common holy place, 
or meeting house, was a spacious hall with a partition from three 
to four cubits in height dividing it into two compartments, one 
for the men and the other for the women. Here they assembled 
on the seventh day for prayer and the singing of hymns, and 
were seated according to age. The most learned in their doc- 
trines addressed the congregation, who listened in silence. The 
preacher made no use of oratorical methods for holding the atten- 
tion of his audience, but rather of logic and reason. The funda- 
mental doctrine was temperance in all things, whether spiritual 
or material. 

They venerated, not only the seventh day of the week, but 
also its multiplied number every seven weeks, when they as- 
sembled to partake of the sacred public feast. Men and women 
attended this feast clothed in white garments. They sat apart, 
the men on the right and the women to the left. 

. Those of the society who had studied their philosophy from 
earliest infancy, were accounted as elders, although not such in age. 
The Therapeuti employed neither slaves nor servants, account- 
ing such positions degrading and unnatural to mankind. They 
performed the offices of servants at sacred feasts and to guests of 
their own free will, and not through the compulsion or for hire. 
On such occasions, young men of their order were selected who 
were eager to attain to the perfection of virtue and to minister 
with affectionate rivalry as dutiful children to their parents. To 
demonstrate their disapproval of, and contempt for, the appear- 


THE ABJURATION. 

ance or badge of servitude, and to distinctively mark the differ- 
ence between the service they rendered each other and that of 
the professional servant, who served his masters with girded 
loins, the Therapeuti performed their service ungirdled; with the 
tunic let down loose. 

The seven week festivals were begun, interspersed and ended 
by the singing of hymns and choruses, in which both men and 
women joined. 

There were settlements of the Therapeuti in all the districts 
or Nomi of Egypt, especially near Alexandria. The settlement 
on the opposite shore of the Mareotic Lake was on a, somewhat 
elevated plain. This locality had been selected on account of 
its fine and healthy temperature, as also its immediate advan- 
tageous and beautiful surroundings of lake, gardens, sea and 
metropolis. 

With the Therapeuti of this settlement, Jesus Nassar, Im- 
^ hotep Bar Ptolomy, Philip of Ethiopia and Didymus the philoso- 
pher had made their residence; living as abstemiously, and 
subject to the same discipline as the most rigorous devotee among 
their fellow physicians. 

A few weeks after the venerable Sheshonque had revealed 
the secret of the Glory to Jesus Nassar, Imhotep informed him 
that he had received a letter of invitation to visit his granduncle, 
the ecclesiastical custodian of the Sun Temple of Ra at Helio- 
polis. Imhotep urged Jesus to make his intended sojourn in that 
district at the same time, more especially as his granduncle had 
written : “ If you can persuade your friend, Jesus Nassar, to visit 
us at the same time, we will accept it as an honor. Bring also 
any of your fellow-students whom you love. They will find sin- 
cere welcome.’’ 

The four friends agreed to travel together to visit ancient 
Egypt, compared to which, Alexandria was but of yesterday. 

When they visited the High Priest at the Serapeum to bid 
him farewell, he took Jesus aside and placing a letter in his hands, 

H 


210 


lESAT NASSAR. 


said: Give this to my brother-in-law the priest Nekba, custo- 
dian of the Temple of Ra; which, with the exception of the 
Temple of Ptah at Memphis, is the most ancient and famous 
shrine of Egypt. Ever since the Library of the Museum was 
burned and their ancient university ceased to exist as a seat of 
learning, the scholar priests of Heliopolis have feared to com- 
municate with strangers ; mistrusting them as possible spies who 
desire to ascertain what ancient records the Egyptians still pos- 
sess, and which might be politic for the conquerors to destroy. I 
have written him that you are an initiate with me, and advised 
him to speak freely with you. It may be that the Great One 
hath raised you to be the means of arresting the destructive in- 
fluence which threatens to annihilate all true records of the past. 

Jesus Nassarand his friends were received with hospitable 
honor by the custodian priest Nekba, and lodged in his house. 
For although the most celebrated of the ancient schools had 
ceased to exist as a seat of learning at Heliopolis, yet the houses 
ot the priestly scholars were still standing, and their order pos- 
sessed an ancient library. Here the friends had an opportunity 
of reading, in the Greek, a history of Egypt compiled and trans- 
lated from the ancient historical works preserved in the temples. 
This history was the work of the priest Manetho, who had been 
employed by Ptolemy Philadelphus, B. C. 234-246, because he 
was as well acquainted with the Greek as with the ancient Egyp- 
tian language and writings. 

The custodian priest Nekba was an adept and an authority in 
reading of the hierogliphic and hieratic as well as of the demotic 
forms of writings of the Egyptians. He assisted his young friends 
to gain correct knowledge of the most ancient historical records ; 
whether on stone or preserved on papyri in the libraries of the 
temples of Ra at Heliopolis, and of Ptah at Memphis. 

With this venerable friend, Jesus Nassar frequently visited the 
temples at Memphis, about eighteen miles distance from Helio- 
polis, in search of original records, the copies of which had else- 


THE ABJtJRATION. 


2II 

where been lost and destroyed. In such occupation the weeks 
and months passed away, and the four friends still lingered at 
Heliopolis, being urged to prolong their stay by the kindly cus- 
todian. They were likewise interested in the arts which were 
carried to a degree of great excellence at Memphis. 

One day, when in the company of several aged priests of the 
temples of Ra and Ptah, Jesus expressed surprise that Julius 
Caesar, himself an eminent scholar and author as well as states- 
man and military genius, should have permitted the wanton de- 
struction of such priceless literary treasures as had been in the 
Library of the Museum. 

Had I and these my colleagues not been witnesses of CaesaPs 
words and action at the time, we also, would have felt the same 
inability to comprehend the motive that actuated Julius Caesar at 
that time, replied the priest Nekba. 

Jesus and his three friends begged the venerable man to re- 
late the events which these priests had witnessed. 

Ah beloved youths, said the custodian priest of the Temple 
of Ptah. I would say a few words before my friend Nekba re- 
lates the events of which we were witnesses. I ask you to bear 
in mind that the Egyptian nation was possessed of an ancient 
civilization and records when the Hebrews first immigrated into 
Syria from the far East. Also, that the Romans as a distinct in- 
dependent nation, are but a modern people. A nation of warriors, 
and a race of traders without a literature, love to supplant ancient 
peoples with honorable antecedents. 

And, added another of the aged priests, a nation whose chief 
occupation is war and conquest, must inevitably be subjugated 
by a people of traders. Therefore, as the Roman Republic 
gradually lapsed into an Empire, the degenerate taste of the 
people sought gratification in luxurious excesses of carnal indul- 
gences. Consequently the intellect became so dulled, and the 
moral sense so blunted that the nation began to find pleasure 
only in such recreations as voluptuous plays, rope dancing, buf- 

' f ; 


iiESAt ]^assar; 


foonery, games of the circus and sports of ^he arena. A nation of 
warriors is thus gradually though surely destroyed. But traders 
thrive in the vicinity of such conditions ; since it is their vocation 
to supply such demands, whether to the army engaged in con- 
quest abroad, or to the citizens taking their share of sensual de- 
lights at home. 

. Alas ! said Imhotep our contemporaries among the Egyptians 
are now but imitators of Roman follies. 

That is generally the case with subjugated peoples, replied 
Didymus, the Greek philosopher. The defeated, as a rule, hasten 
to imitate the vices, but rarely the virtues, of their conquerors. 
They thus sink deeper and deeper until the intellect as well as 
body is enslaved. 

And here also added Imhotep sadly, trade tnrives by provid- 
ing the subjugated with the means Avheieby their decline may be 
hastened, v/hile in exchange it secures the material wealth which 
had been developed and accumulated by generations of sober 
and honest predecessors. 

It is the duty of every man, said Jesus, to guard against de- 
terioration and decay in spiritual and intellectual life as well as 
in material affairs. Ceaseless vigilance and government of their 
own passions will fit and enable men to discern how to resist the 
encroachments of those who prosper by the ruin of others. It 
behooves men also to labor to convert such panderers from the 
wickedness of their ways. 

It were better to exterminate them if possible, said Philip the 
Ethiopian noble; for I doubt whether they cculd be converted. 
Is it not their delight to seek out and to take advantage of the 
needs of the unfortunate, and to trade upon the weaknesses of 
the thoughtless, the improvident, the ignorant and the vicious, as 
eagerly and surely as the wolf scents a flock of sheep ? 

And now Father Nekba, remarked Didymus, we are better 
prepared to understand the action of Julius Caesar. 

As you all know, replied the priest, the whole career of Julius 


213 


! THE ABJURATION. 

> Caesar evinced courage, determination and ambition. Alas, un- 
principled ambition predominated, as we learned from that day’s 
bitter experience. It is now more than seventy years ago and I 
then was eighteen years of age. My friends here aud I were 
students at the Museum when Julius Caesar set fire to Alexandria. 
The mob, let loose at such a time, seemed to have a special 
interest in the destruction of the Library with other historic relics 
of the Museum. We were not sufficiently numerous to defend it 
effectually against the mob, so the President, an eminent and 
venerable priest, with a deputation of us students sought the 
presence of Julius Caesar to beseech him to send a company of 
Roman soldiers to protect the valuable literary treasures of the 
Museum. We felt sure that we had but to obtain audience 
of the conqueror, who was a scholar and author, to ensure safety 
for the Library, 

When we arrived, we were informed that Caesar was engaged 
in council with Antipater, the apostate Idumean and mercenary 
of Rome. However, as our President sent word that our case 
was urgent, we were ushered into the presence without delay. 
We stated our errand and preferred our request. There were 
three persons present, with whom Julius Caesar conferred awhile 
before answering us. 

One, a Roman officer of rank, advised that a guard be dis- 
patched to the Museum. Antipater intimated that such a course 
would necessitate the exposure of other and more important points 
to plunder by the mob. The third man seemed to be the most 
influential of the party, for even Caesar deferred to him. He wore 
the dress of an Idumean and we wondered who he could be. 
After Antipater had spoken, Caesar turned to this man who, for 
reply, briefly demanded that none of the troops which had been 
detailed to protect the Jewish quarter, be removed from thence. 

The Roman officer remarked that as all the other points which 
needed protection had much smaller numbers of guards, a few 
soldiers cQuld well be spared without endangering the Jewish 


214 


lESAT NASSAR. 


quarter. On this, the third man bade Julius Caesar remember 
that the Hebrews were his efficient allies throughout the world, 
and that he was therefore bound to protect their wealth and 
interests everywhere to the utmost, and before all others. 

Our President prayed Caesar, as a scholar, to protect and save 
the literature which was common property and beneficial to all 
mankind. Caesar was undecided, though evidently inclined to 
save the Library. He urged that a few soldiers less in the 
Hebrew quarter could not weaken its defence, and would effec- 
tively protect the Museum by overawing the mob. Then the 
third man became angry and ordered Julius Caesar to make his 
choice between the loyalty of his allies throughout the world, and 
the preservation of a quantity of seditious books on magic, and 
records which would only serve to incite the youth of a conquered 
nation to emulate their ancestors and rebel against their con- 
querors. 

To this Antipater added: That is true. Oh Caesar. Take for 
example the tribes of the Bedawins, who have never yet been 
subjugated, nor shall be so long as the parents teach the children 
the history of their forefathers in the home tent and by the camp 
fire. But these Egyptians rely only upon the priests and pro- 
fessors and the written records for the political as well as 
religious education of their children. Consequently, if you destroy 
the literature, and above all, the ancient records of a nation, you 
conquer that race for all time. 

We who were anxiously watching the countenance of Caesar, 
saw a gleam come into his eyes like that of the tiger’s when it 
hath suddenly caught sight of its prey at a disadvantage. Youths 
though we were, we then knew that our Library was doomed. 
Our President humiliated himself so far as to kneel to Caesar and 
kiss the border of his robe, while pleading with him for the sal- 
vation of the records, the tears meanwhile trickling down his 
aged wrinkled face; but all in vain. 

We hastened back to find the mob howling round the 


THE ABJURATION. 


2IS 


Museum : Burn the books of magic by which the scholars 

bring good luck for the invaders and misfortunes upon Egypt ! 
By which they secure immunity from poverty for themselves ! 

We noticed that there were no genuine Egyptians in the mob, 
but that it was composed of the worst class of foreign immigrants, 
a majority of whom were escaped or banished criminals, and the 
rest mostly recruited from the pauper populations of other lands. 

A number of our bravest fellow-students fell that day ; fight- 
ing desperately to save the books they loved. But the mob out- 
numbered us more than ten to one, and the treasures of the 
Library whose value was far above that of gold or gems, were 
utterly destroyed. 

The destruction of the library had evidently been incited by 
an appeal to the lust for gold ; for the mob constantly demanded 
to be shown where the gold was secreted of which they had evi- 
dently heard most fabulous reports. Some of them even offered 
to stay the conflagration in exchange for the gold which we did 
not possess. 

When the priest Nekba had done speaking, the faces of the 
three venerable priests who, as fellow- students had fought to pre- 
serve the Library on that memorable day, were wet with the tears 
which are so rare and so bitter when shed by the aged. 

The four young men, filled with righteous indignation and 
wrath, each and all vowed on that day to do battle through life 
against the unprincipled ambition, the greed and the ignorance, 
which, when combined, make the gravest robberies of the rights 
of mankind not only possible and probable, but also imminent in 
every civilization that relaxes its vigilance. 

So passed the time till the autumn had come, and the Jewish 
feast of trumpets and fast of the atonement drew near. 

The Rabbis taught their people that God had ordained that 
particular day of the year as a feast of trumpets, on account of 
its being the anniversary of the Creation, and because He sits in 
judgment and notes down in three books, the fates of the Jewish 


2i6 


lESAT NASSAR. 


people for the coming year. The righteous are consigned to ever- 
lasting life, the wicked to burning fire, and the medium class are 
held in abeyance till the decisive fast-day of Atonement to give 
them a chance of getting registered with the righteous by per- 
forming some good deed and repentance during the intervening 
nine days. They also taught that the Atonement fast had been 
specified by God because it was the anniversary of Adam’s re- 
pentance, Abraham’s circumcision, and Moses’ return from 
Mount Sinai with the second edition of the commandments. 

Jesus Nassar had signified his intention to spend the festival 
season at Onion where stood the Jewish Temple. His object 
was to speak to the multitudes that assembled at this temple 
during this season from all parts of Egypt and other countries, 
and to explain to them the true relations between mankind and 
the Deity, as established by the Creator himself and not by a 
class of men who called themselves his agents. His three friends 
who had openly become his disciples determined to accompany 
him and witness as much of the celebration as Gentiles would be 
permitted to do. It was about twelve miles distance from Heli- 
opolis and Jesus and his companions found many opportunities 
to speak with the crowds who flocked to that shrine; especially 
because they were men of rank and wealth. Also, being expert 
physicians they treated and cured all who applied for healing, 
free of charges; and generously assisted the poor and needy. 
They created a great stir and gained a large following from 
among those of the Jews, who were sincerely seeking the truth; 
but especially from those who were proselytes to Judaism from 
other nations. 

On the fast day of the Atonement, the High Priest officiated. 
He killed the principal sacrifices and sprinkled their blood seven 
times on the furniture of the holy and most holy compartments 
of the Temple with his own hands. By this the sins of Israel 
were blotted out as thoroughly as though they had never been 
committed, The blood of a young bullock atpned for the High 


THE ABJURATION. 217 

Priest with his family, and that of a ram with a he-goat for the 
rest of the people of Israel. 

During this part of the religious service the High Priest was 
dressed very lightly in white linen tunic, breeches, girdle and 
turban or mitre. 

AVhen the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, besides 
the blood of the bullock, ram and he-goat, he carried a censer 
filled with fire and incense which he burned before the holy 
place in which the Shekhenali appeared. 

The High Priest made the confession of sins for himself and 
the nation in the presence of the congregation. He laid his 
hands on the head of a living he-goat, and said : 

Our God and the God of our ancestors ! May our prayers 
come before ^hee. Verily we confess that we have sinned. We 
have trespassed, we have dealt treacherously, we have stolen, 
we have spoken slander, we have committed iniquity and 
have done wickedly, acted presumptuously, committed vio- 
lence, framed falsehood, counselled evil, uttered lies, scorned, 
rebelled, blasphemed, revolted, acted perversely. We have 
oppressed, have been stiff-necked, corrupted, gone astray, 
caused others to err. What Thou did’st heal, we wounded; 
what Thou did’st cleanse, we defiled ; the unclean we counted 
clean, the straight we made crooked; what Thou did’st increase, 
we diminished ; what Thou did’st honor, we despised ; what 
Thou did’st record, we blotted out, and what Thou did’st scatter, 
we gathered together. We have chosen what Thou did’st con- 
demn, and rooted out what Thou did’st plant. We have builded 
up what Thou did’st break down, and caused to fall that which 
was supported by Thee. We weakened what Thou did’st 
strengthen, and betrayed what Thou did’st conceal. We allowed 
what Thou did’st prohibit, and we made that unholy what Thou 
did’st sanctify. What Thou madest right, we called wrong ; and 
what Thou did’st favor, we despised. What Thou did’st set near, 
we put far away , and what wa? distant^ we placed ne^r. What 


2i8 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Thou did’st love, we hated ; and what Thou hatest, we loved. 
We became almost as Sodom, and we have been likened unto 
Gommorra. But although we have been shameless and hard- 
ened and stiff-necked, and said we have not sinned, yet verily we 
have transgressed little sins and great sins. We did not wash 
ourselves when we ought to have washed, and we ate with wet 
hands. AVe omitted to ask a blessing, and we did not give 
thanks. We ate cheese and meat at the same meal, and fish 
and flesh without washing our hands between. We partook of 
feasts which were not deeds of merit, and of the first fruits before 
the beginning of the Passover. We have eaten that which was 
prohibited, ar.d during tiie feast of Tabernacles have eaten outside 
the booth. We handled the uncovered roll of the Law and 
made void Thy commandments. We loved the evil, and to do 
evil. We wore women’s clothing, maltreated women, coveted 
other men’s wives, committed adultery and ruined virgins. We 
lusted with the heart and eyes and tyrannized over our family. We 
have been gluttons and drunkards, and robbed and flattered. We 
chattered in the Synagogue during religious services, and between 
baptising of the hands and asking the blessing. We have spoken 
on the Sabbath as on the week day, and advised the commission 
of deeds forbidden on that day. We indulged in all lusts of the 
flesh, slandered our neighbors and spoke evil against the dead, 
and visited the burial ground with uncovered tsitses (atoning 
fringes of under garment). We betrayed our Khaber’s secret, 
lifted the hand against him, beat him, cursed him, invented lies 
against him, and obtained honor by disgracing him. 

Oh may it therefore be acceptable in Thy presence. Oh 
Eternal, our God and the God of our fathers, to pardon all our 
sins and forgive all our iniquities, and grant us remission for all 
the transgressions and sins which wx have committed against 
Thee, either by compulsion or voluntarily, with a stubborn heart 
and utterance of our lips. We have also committed sins of 
incestuous lewdness, publicly and secretly, with deliberate deceit 


the abjuration. 


219 


and the speech of the mouth. We have sinned by oppressing 
our neighbors, by evil cogitations of the heart, by assembling to 
commit lewdness, by confessing our sins with the mouth, but not 
repenting of them in the heart ; by despising our parents and 
teachers, ignorantly or presumptuously. We have committed 
violence, profaned Thy name, defiled our lips and hearts by 
foolish expressions and evil imaginations, knowingly or without 
deliberation. We have denied and lied. We have taken and 
given bribes, and have allowed and uttered calumny, in traffic, 
in meat and drink, by extortion and usury. We have practised 
extortion and usury, immodest discourse, chattering and winking 
of our eyes. We have been haughty, shameless, litigious and 
treacherous to our neighbors. We have been guilty of envy, 
levity, stubbornness, tale-bearing, running swiftly to do evil, per- 
jury, causeless enmity, embezzlement and ecstasy. 

Yet for all of them. Oh God of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon 
us, and grant us remission. Also for the sins which were doubt- 
ful and which were certain, for the sins by which we incur the 
penalty of being childless, and for the sins by which we incurred 
the four kinds of death by the tribunals of justice ; of stoning, 
burning, beheading and strangling; for the sins by which we in- 
curred the penalty of being totally destroyed and rooted out, 
and death by the hand of God. 

The general absolution was repealed with great fervor by the 
assembled Hebrews, viz.: All vows, all contracts, all that are 
called kownem (dual, corporeal and spiritual) and all fines, and 
all oaths which we may have vowed to, or we may have sworn 
to, we hereby absolve ourselves from the same ; deeming our- 
selves free from the same, from the present Day of Atonement 
till the next Day of Atonement ; which may it prove to our 
boon. We repent for all our contracts, we repent for all our 
obligations, we repent for liaving pledged our word. May all 
these be absolved, abandoned, stopped, and may they be deemed 
null and void ! May they not be binding, may they not be exist- 


220 


lESAT NASSAR. 


ing, and grant whatever we may have vowed to, be no vows; 
and whatever we may have sworn to, be no oaths. 

When the High Priest and the people had made an end of 
confessing their sins and absolving themselves for the coming as 
well as for the past year, the he-goat was led away, and carried 
with him all the iniquities confessed over his head into the wilder- 
ness and oblivion. Thus the people of the Jews obtained a 
clear, happy, relieved conscience, because they sincerely believed 
that the ceremony had insured them remission of sins and im- 
munity from punishment. 

The Deity had been propitiated and had signified his apprecia- 
tion of the services rendered him, by the appearance of the 
Shekhenah behind the cloud of incense. At this moment the 
veil which hung before the most holy recess, was opened, and 
the congregation of Israel were gratified by a sight of the glow- 
ing glory, before which they fell on their faces and worshipped. 
But no Gentiles or proselytes were allowed to enter so far into 
the Sanctuary. They stood in the outer courts. Only grand - 
children or great-grandchildren of proselytes were allowed to 
enter the inner court where those of Jewish race worshipped. 

After this part of the religious service of the Atonement was 
ended, the High Priest took off his linen clothes which had neces- 
sarily become much soiled during the operation of slaughtering 
the sacrificial animals and sprinkling of the blood. He deposited 
them in the Holy Place and robed himself in the pontifical gar- 
ments, each of which was believed to possess atoning virtue and 
power. The linen breeches were a ransom for those who un- 
covered the nakedness of the thigh, lewdness. The coat of wool 
and flax woven together did away entirely with the sin of sowing 
a mixture of different seeds, adultery. The golden bells and 
purple pomegranates removed the sin of slander. The girdle, 
woven full of cavities cleansed the sin of thieving, being acces- 
sories to, and concealing such law breakers. The breastplate 
made atonement for the perversion of justice and judgment. Th^ 


THE ABJURATION. 


221 


scarlet thread, woven into the ephod made atonement for idola- 
try. The mitre atoned for the proud in spirit ; while the plate of 
the crown engraved with the name of the Deity procured for- 
giveness for all profanations of God’s name. 

At the setting of the sun, the trumpets were sounded to an- 
nounce to the people that the services were ended and the fast 
was over. Then the people congratulated themselves and each 
other on having performed the prescribed duties of the Atone- 
ment with such preciseness, that even Satan their accuser was 
constrained to applaud their piety. Being taught and assured by 
their rabbis that all their sins and iniquities had been pardoned 
and blotted out, they departed from the Sanctuary wishing each 
other prosperity and to live to celebrate the next year’s festival. 

Ben Parakhai had come to Egypt with a number of his dis- 
ciples. Being a Rabbi of note in Jerusalem, he was treated with 
distinguished honor, and took up his abode at Onion for this 
religious festival. During the services of the Atonement he saw 
Jesus Nassar in the court, and saluted him when the worshippers 
began to disperse. At the same time he expressed the hope to 
meet him again before his departure. 

On the second day of the feast of Tabernacles, Jesus Nassar 
with his three disciples were on the public square in front of the 
temple, talking with • the people who congregated there, and 
attending to the sick who came for medicine or advice. As Ben 
Parakhai was walking that way with his disciples, he stopped to 
listen to Jesus, and to talk to him. Several noted Jewish Talmud 
sages and rabbis, on their way into the temple, also joined them, 
and the conversation soon turned to the subject of the services of 
the fast of Atonement. 

Said Didymus the philosopher : I do not see any merit in enum- 
erating your sins to the Deity, since He knows all your thoughts 
and actions just as well as you do, and better. For you may 
almost deceive yourselves by fallacious reasoning, but cannot de- 
ceive Him. Nor can you harm Him by any of your evil deeds. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


^22 

However you c^n, and do injure your fellow men and your own 
physical and moral being, if you indulge in such transgressions as 
you confessed to have done. Sincere repentance is never satis- 
fied until it has made reparation and restitution to the party 
wronged. And the one you have injured, is the only one who 
has the right to forgive, pardon and remit your sin against him. 

Do you mean to say that the Almighty cannot forgive us all, 
and any sins that we commit ? interrupted one of the rabbis, who 
was accounted a great authority on Talmud logic. 

I maintain, replied Didymus, that God can not with justice, 
forgive, pardon or remit any sin you commit against your fellow 
man. For example : A man will murder your family, ruin your 
trade, rob, slander and do you bodily injury. He will then go to 
the judge of the district, carry him an offering, confess his mis- 
deeds, profess contrition, and on such grounds claim pardon for 
all the wrong he has wrought you. What would men say, if that 
judge granted forgiveness, pardon, and remission to that trans- 
gressor, and reinstated him as an innocent and honorable mem- 
ber of society ? Would you not cry out against such flagrant 
injustice? And yet you teach men that the Supreme Judge of 
all, the source of all justice and righteous judgement, acteth in a 
manner that the most unrighteous human judge would hesitate 
to do? 

Alas ! said Ben Parakhai, this is worse than the doctrines of 
the heathen ; for even they make atonement with the Deity by 
offerings and sacrifices to the Sanctuary. Pray tell me young Sir, 
of what religion may you be ? 

I, answered Didymus with a gesture of noble pride and a 
glance of love at Jesus, I, am of the same religion as Jesus 
Nassar, my friend and Master. 

What! exclaimed Ben Parakhai, addressing Jesus, Do you 
teach that the making of offering to the Sanctuary is wrong ? 

Nay indeed, replied Jesus, the giving of gifts to the Sanctuary 
is right and necessary, because the houses of prayer need to be 


THE ABJURATION. 223 

maintained, as also they who minister to the people must live by 
the altar. But if you transgress against your fellow man, or 
against the rights of mankind, then make reparation, restitution 
and confession to man, and receive his forgiveness, pardon and 
remission. For thus hath the son of man power on earth to for- 
give sins. Therefore if men sin against you, and ye forgive them 
their sins, they are forgiven. 

This is a hard saying and impossible, said one of the bystand- 
ers, a prominent Rabbi. It is also false teaching, because the 
God of our fathers accepted our fast, our confession and our 
sacrifices as sufficient atonement for all our sins against him and 
against our neighbors. 

How can you prove that your Deity granted you forgiveness, 
pardon and remission on such conditions. Reverend Sir ? asked 
Imhotep Bar Ptolomy. 

We received indisputable proof of the favor of our God, 
answered Ben Parakhai ; for he caused his blessed Shekhenah to 
be manifested to us. And as we found acceptance and favor on 
that day by its appearance, so also may this temple always find 
favor with our God and with the priesthood and Sanctuary of 
Jerusalem. 

Imhotep laughed slightly as he replied: Oh, if that be all, we 
have the same kind of manifestation in our temples of Serapis 
and Shekhet, but like yours, they are the work of men’s hands 
and not celestial visitants. 

There was by this time, only a group of rabbis round Jesus 
and his disciples. At these words of Imhotep, their faces paled; 
some with astonishment and fear, others with anger. 

What words are these which your disciple hath spoken ? 
asked Ben Parakhai of Jesus. I pray yon, explain to him that 
we be not idolaters as the Gentiles, but the living oracles of God. 

All the priests of the Gentiles are also living oracles, remarked 
Philip the Ethiopian. But they still possess what your Jerusalem 


224 


lESAT NASSAU. 


priesthood have lost; and that is, the art of making oracles 
whereby to impose on the people. 

But, — but what say you. Oh Jesus Nassar! You, who with 
your own eyes saw the glory of our blessed Shekhenah ! ex- 
claimed Ben Parakhai and his disciples in unison and with great 
excitement. 

Jesus looked round on them all with a smile of e*xceeding 
and kindly pity, as he answered gently. I did indeed, as you 
say, witness the appearance called Shekhenah. But it is not a 
mark nor proof of the favor of the Most High. It is the work of 
men’s hands, and is produced in the same manner as in the 
temples of the Gentiles. 

Thou speaketh lies, said the Talmud logician in a loud and 
angry tone. 

Ask the minister of the High Priest, who standeth even now 
among you, if I have not spoken the truth, replied Jesus Nassar 
gravely and kindly. For he knew that the knowledge of having 
been deceived through blind faith, is bitter to the soul of man. 

The bystanders stared at each other, too much amazed to 
speak; while the assistant of the High Priest slunk away and 
walked swiftly into the temple without having uttered a word in 
reply. 

Ben Parakhai exclaimed: Thou blasphemest. Oh Jesus Nas- 
sar ! Is it with such matters that thou hast been occupying thy- 
self? Reports of thy studies in Gentile learning and magic did 
indeed come to us. Also, that thou wert going altogether astray, 
and teaching false doctrines. But now I find that thou despisest 
the God of Jacob, and bearest false witness against the Yaveh 
of Israel. 

I bear not false witness, replied Jesus Nassar. Neither here, 
nor at Jerusalem, nor in any other place did the Almighty ever 
manifest himself to any man, in any special form. But God re- 
veals Himself in spirit to those who seek Him with the spirit of 
truth. His power, wisdom and goodness are visible in all 


THE ABJURATIONo. 225 

creation, whether material or intangible. If you desire indeed to 
know the truth about the Shekhenah, you can request the High 
Priest to disprove what I have said. Let him guide you to the 
chambers under the most holy recess, and see with your own 
eyes if there is not the source and the me^ns of producing the 
nmnifestation of the concentrated glowing light, which we saw 
when the veil was drawn aside. 

Then did Ben Parakhai become exceeding angry and said to 
the bystanders : Come Khaberim, and close your ears from this 
day, against the words of the blasphemer who would liken the 
Glory of Israel unto the works of the heathen. Let us do our 
duty and put the Kherim (religious excommunication and boy- 
cott) upon him, so that our people may fear to hearken unto him, 
for if they listen, they will surely go after him. 

When Ben Parakhai with the other rabbis obtained audience 
of the High Priest, they found that his minister had already 
acquainted him with what had been spoken by Jesus Nassar and 
his disciples. 

What think you about this matter most Reverend Sir ? asked 
Ben Parakhai, after waiting awhile in vain for the High Priest 
either to deny or affirm the strange accusation. 

The High Priest replied with much unction : Let the heathen 
rage and meditate a vain thing against the Lord and against his 
Anointed Israel, while they say : Let us break their bands and 
cast away their cords from us. But our God will hold them in 
derision and trouble them in his wrath. 

This answer did not satisfy Ben Parakhai who, having cooled 
off from his anger and excitement, began to experience an inquir- 
ing turn of mind about the subterranean chambers said to con- 
tain the secret of the manifestation which he had hitherto so 
firmly believed came from the celestial regions. So he said : But 
most Reverend Sir, this Jesus Nassar told me that I could con- 
vince myself of the truth of his statement by requesting of you 

IS 


2 26 lESAT NASSAR, 

the permission to inspect the subterranean connection of the most 
holy place. 

He knoweth, replied the High Priest, that it is forbidden to 
enter within the veil, except to the High Priest once a year. And 
that the Lord will slay any other who seeks to enter his presence. 

It is not within the veil; but underneath and behind the most 
holy place of which he spoke that I crave permission to enter, 
persevered Ben Parakhai insinuatingly. 

It matters not whether it be above or beneath, or on any side; 
for it is all sacred, and cannot be approached and profaned, 
answered the High Priest sternly. 

But, he continued, let us now consider what we shall do with 
this Jesus Nassar. He hath profaned the divine Name by false 
witness against the Blessed Shekhenah, and leadeth away others 
from the commandments. For this cause, hath he merited the great 
Kherem (excommunication). There be of us here now assembled 
more than the necessary number. Let us therefore hasten to 
curse this traitor, this offspring of the aliens ; and let us proclaim 
the Kherim with the sound of four hundred trumpets. So shall 
all Israel, at this time here assembled from the north and the 
south, the east and the west avoid this traitor, close their ears 
against his words, and carry the warning to the uttermost parts 
of the earth. 

The assembled priests and elders then proceeded to excom- 
municate Jesus Nassar with curses and with the blast of four 
hundred trumpets. There was also proclamation made to the 
Jewish congregations in the Synagogues, forbidding them to hold 
converse with Jesus Nassar under penalty of the ban for dis- 
obedience. 

Jesus with his three friends soon found themselves completely 
ostracised so far as the Jews were concerned. These people kept 
at a distance of at least four cubits (seven feet), as from a leper. 
If Jesus was seen walking on one side of the street, the Jews 
crossed tg the other for fear of thgir rabbis’ vengeance. If Jesu§ 


THE ABJURATION. 


227 


approached a group of persons among whom there were any 
Jews, the men would quickly depart; closing their ears lest they 
should hear some heresy by which their souls might be endan- 
gered. 

But Jesus neither secluded himself nor made any of the 
changes in his dress or manner of life, which, by Jewish law, 
were prescribed for those under the ban of the synagogues. 

The rabbis waited in vain for such signs of penitence, as 
they said daily to each other : He is bold and will not humble 
himself to mourn, and sit on the ground and repent, as beseemeth 
him to do ; being under the curse of the Law. • 

The chief priests finally met in council to discuss further 
means to bring Jesus Nassar to repentance, or else to silence him 
effectually. 

I know him, said Ben Parakhai. He is prudent in his speech 
and his deeds, in his goings out and his comings in. Therefore 
it will not be a light matter to silence him either openly or se- 
cretly. But if he be left free to defy the Elders of Israel and 
profane the Name and the Temple, then will our people all fol- 
low him and stray from us, and we shall be left solitary as a 
sparrow on the housetop. 

Several zealous Talmud students had been detailed to work 
among the laity of the' Jews to rouse ill will against Jesus Nassar 
as a blasphemer, who, like Jereboam the son of Nebat, sought to 
lead Israel back to the idolatrous worship of the Gentiles by 
false witness against the Name and the Temple. 

One of these zealous young rabbis now rose and said: I have 
but just seen this Jesus Nassar on the street, with his hair and 
his beard trimmed and washed and arrayed as at other times. 
He and his disciples consort with, and teach the Gentiles over 
whom our excommunication laws have no power. With these 
Gentiles our Jews must needs associate in their daily trade, and 
thus they hear of doctrines that Jesus teacheth and which are 
already bearing evil fruits, I find that when I speah of thi§ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


228: 

Jesus Nassar with curses, as a righteous man should do, many 
merchants and other traders refuse to listen, saying : This matter 
concerneth us not; this Jesus Nassar hath never harmed any 
man, and if the rabbis fear him, let them take care of them- 
selves 1 I verily believe that if they feared not the ruin which 
would overtake their trade through the Kherim, many of our 
wealthy people would openly become his disciples. 

At this time a servant entered and said that a messenger 
waited without, who had brought word from Jesus Nassar. The 
messenger was called in, and announced that his master desired 
to speak with Ben Parakhai. 

Say to thy Master, replied Ben Parakhai, that we will receive 
him here now. 

Jesus Nassar soon arrived with his three friends. He courte- 
ously saluted the assembled rabbis, who, however, did not return 
his greeting, neither did they offer him a seat. 

As he stood in their midst with his disciples, Jesus asked for 
what cause the priests and elders had excommunicated him by 
Kherim. 

Then Ben Parakhai rose, and lifting his right arm, exclaimed ; 
Shema Israel! Ya-Ho-Va-Eh Ellahenu Akhad! Hear, Oh! 
Israel, Jehovah our God, are One ! 

He continued : But you. Oh transgressor, would cause 
Israel to sin and go astray, like Jereboam the son of Nebat who 
drew away ten tribes from following after the house of David, 
and after the Shekhenah of the Temple of Jerusalem. Thou 
wouldst make void our laws and our prophecies. We will not 
hearken nor will we give ear to thy false doctrines; but we will 
cleave unto the Lord who revealed his names Ya-ho-va-eh and 
made it one unto the children of Israel. 

Then Jesus Nassar saw that these priests and elders were 
wilfully blind to the deceit, and were determined to keep and 
hold the people in the darkness of superstition. So he said 
to them: I seek not to destroy the laws, either of the Jews or of 


THE ABJURATION. 


the Gentiles. But I am come to confirm and strengthen the 
laws of Justice, righteous dealings and truth; whether they be 
the laws of the Jews or the laws of the Gentiles. I am also come 
to rebuke and purge out such as be errors and deceits; so that 
the laws of our heavenly Father may be fulfilled by his children. 

Then said the High Priest : This man despiseth and denieth 
the Law which was only delivered unto Israel the Chosen. 

When Jesus Nassar heard this, he answered the whole assem- 
bly : If ye were ignorant and blind in this matter, Oh, ye teach- 
ers of Israel, ye should have no sin; but now ye have no excuse 
for your sin. Hearken, therefore, and know, that I seperate my- 
self this day from your congregation, and raise the stones of sep- 
eration as a witness against you; that because I honor God our 
Father, ye dishonor me, and He will judge between you and me 
in this matter. 

And thus Jesus Nassar abjured forevermore the creed of 
Judaism, and seperated himself from the congregation of Israel. 

When Jesus Nassar and his friends were gone away, the 
priests and elders said among themselves : What is this that he 
hath done ? Will he now go unto the congregation of the Gen- 
tiles ? 


Our Father ! while our hearts unlearn 
The creeds that wrong thy Name, 
Still let our hallowed altars burn 
With Faith’s undying flame. 

Not by the lightning gleam of wrath, 
Our souls thy face shall see, 

The star of love must light the path 
That leads to heaven and Thee. 

Help us to read our Master’s will 
Through every darkening stain 
That clouds His sacred image still, 
And see him once again. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


23d 

The brother man, the pitying friend 
AVho weeps for human woes, 

Whose pleading words of pardon blend 
With cries of raging foes. 

If 'mid the gathering storms of doubt, 

Men’s hearts grow faint and cold, 

The strength we cannot live without. 

Thy love will not withhold. 

Our prayers accept, our sins forgive. 

Our youthful zeal renew ; 

Shape for us holier lives to live. 

And nobler work to do. 

— Dr. Holmes. 

See Appendix corresponding chap. XVI. Also pages of 
same, 533, 541, 553, 555, 559, 583. The confession for the Day 
of Atonement, see Sidir Corban Minkhe; also Mod. Judaism, by 
John Allen. 


Me lost sheep. 


231 


CHAPTER XVII. 


THE LOST SHEEP. 

When Jesus and his friends returned to Heliopolis, they re- 
lated to the custodian priest, Nekba, all that had befallen them 
in Onion. This good old man with his two colleagues of Mem- 
phis had already secretly become the disciples of Jesus, and 
were working gradually with their people to simplify to their 
understanding the obscure dogmas, symbolical language and 
allegorical mysteries in which the Egyptian religious ideas of the 
Great One had been clothed. 

When the three good old priests had learned of the excom- 
munication of Jesus Nassar and of his abjuration of Judaism, 
they became very much alarmed and troubled for his safety. 

You have cut yourself off from the congregation of the Jews, 
said the custodian priest of Memphis ; but with which religious 
community will you now ally yourself, so that you may insure 
civil protection for your life against those who must, according 
to their law, seek to destroy you ? 

I have considered this matter, spoke the priest Nekba. But 
there is not one of the known creeds which our young friend 
could adopt conscientiously and unconditionally. He would not 
cease to speak truth and rebuke religious deceits and pious 
frauds, and therefore would soon be denounced as a heretic, 
sectarian or schismatic by the authorities. For there is no 
country where the government is not allied with the religion ot 
that country. The emperor or king is everywhere the High 
Priest of the pontific college, except among the Jews where the 
High Priest is held to be the lord, even of kings. 

The third venerable priest spoke. If our friend and teacher, 
Jesus Nassar, were king of either country of which he is a prince, 
he might establish his doctrines as the religion of his kingdom. 


23 ? 


lESAT NASSAR. , 


But Otherwise, whose armies will protect his followers or fight to 
uphold the faith as he teaches it, against those whose strength 
lies in the superstitious longing of the multitude for atoning sacri- 
ficial offerings and ceremonies. 

Jesus Nassar replied: Honored and beloved friends, truly 
deceit and ignorance are strong armor; but truth and wisdom 
are stronger and must prevail in the end against such defenses 
of the adversary. My kingdom is not of conquest by armies 
and bloodshed, but through conviction of the truth in the soul 
of man. 

The three venerable priests looked at each other and sadly 
shook their heads. They had lived so long, but in their wide 
experience had not found the multitude at all so eager in the 
search for truth as this young reformer expected them to be. 
But they were kindly, good men, who loved him and were anxi- 
ous for his safety. Therefore they warned him to be ever on 
his guard against treachery or unexpected sudden assaults, 
through tlie machinations of his now deadly enemies. 

In accordance with their laws and customs, the rabbis had 
immediately sent swift tidings to all their colleagues through- 
out the world, that Jesus Nassar had been excommunicated by 
great Kherim; and notice of the same was given to the congre- 
gations in the synagogues. So perfectly organized were their 
methods of communication with each other, that the Lady 
Mary a, who was in Galilee at the time, heard the dire news from 
some friendly Jews before she could receive the letter sent by her 
son through the regular posts. 

Not having heard from Jesus, her maternal heart quaked 
with fear for his safety, since she well knew the penalties and 
the dangers incurred by those who even disobey the rabbis ; but 
how much greater was the accusation against her son ! For re- 
port said that he had spoken evil of the Name and of the 
Temple. 

The rabbis and High Priest of Onion had shrewdly refrained 


ME LOST SHEEP. 


^33 

from specifying what the evil was, lest the laity or some honest- 
hearted rabbis should begin to doubt and question as to whether 
Jesus Nassar had not told the truth after all. 

The Lady Marya started on her journey to Egypt on the 
very day she received the news. Her cousin, a venerable I'hera- 
peutic, accompanied her with a small escort of trusty guards to 
Heliopolis. The haste of preparation and departure had left 
them no time to discuss the excommunication ; but as they 
travelled, thoughts of Jesus came uppermost in their minds, and 
his affairs became the constant subject of their conversation. 

I marvel much, said the aged physician, what our young 
kinsman hath said that the rabbis have been able to misconstrue 
as blasphemy. 

Whatever it may be, replied the Lady Marya, I am convinced 
that he spoke the truth, which, if severe, was spoken because he 
found it necessary to do so on that occasion. 

Ah truth, truth! Yea, but Jesus will not bear in mind that 
we all love to hear the truth only when it exposes faults or weak 
points in the creed or religious practices of other sects than our 
own, and that we resent it when it exposes our own shortcomings 
or wrongdoings. I have no doubt at all that he hath rebuked 
the rabbis and exposed some serious fraud, instead of denouncing 
the priests of the Gentiles and the symbolical images. Now if 
he would but cry out and prophesy the destruction of the 
heathen with their idols, and refer to Israel’s sins against Jehovah 
only so far as they transgressed the traditions of the rabbis, he 
would be loved by them instead of turning them into dangerous 
enemies. I often warned him while he was with us. 

But surely he hath no enemies among the Therapeuti? ques- 
tioned the Lady Marya, anxiously. 

I cannot say that it hath gone as far as enmity, but he hath 
caused many to be offended because of him. While he lived 
among us he conformed strictly to all our rules and regulations ; 
but he also never failed to speak plainly of doctrines and practices 


234 


IESXt NASSAU. 


which he had satisfactorily proved, to his inner consciousness, 
were erroneous or useless. 

We pray you, Reverend Sir and kinsman, to explain to us in 
which particulars he disagreed with ’’our accepted views ? said 
the Lady Marya. 

It is known to you, Oh daughter, that we hold the doctrine of 
temperance as a sort of foundation for the soul to rest upon. 
Ilut upon this foundation we build a structure of greater virtue, 
such as forsaking our families and national relations and aban- 
doning property. We often abstain from food until the sun has 
set, and also practice fasts of three and six days’ duration, during 
which we scarcely taste even necessary food, holding that by 
such abstinence, knowledge and piety are increased and brought 
to perfection since we are relieved of the burden of outw^ard 
senses by fasting. 

This, he continued, is all known to you. But our young 
kinsman argueth, that not only the foundation, but also the whole 
structure should be that of temperance and moderation. Like- 
wise, that a famishing body is a hindrance to the attainment of 
knowledge or piety, because the mind must of necessity wan- 
der involuntarily from the contemplation of religion or science, 
to the calculations of the period yet to be passed before the pangs 
of hunger can be allayed. He teacheth those who are his disci- 
ples, that God has not any more pleasure in the pangs aud pains 
inflicted by such intemperate actions upon the natural love and 
duty to kinsfolk, country or upon ourselves, than he can have in 
the intemperate indulgence of human desires. Therefore the 
disciples of Jesus Nassar fast not, and this is one of his great 
offenses against our order. 

Pray inform us of the others, said the Lady Marya with a 
troubled look. 

You know Daughter, that we account the position of a servant 
as degrading to mankind; and although we perform the offices 
of servants to each other and to guests, of our own free will and 


triE LO^T SHt?:EP. 


^3S 

hot for hire, we also distinctively mark the difference of such 
service by avoiding any badge or mark of servitude in the manner 
of wearing our raiment. But Jesus Nassar saith that the position 
of a servant is not degrading to mankind, and that the mark 
which distinguished! the servant of the household, is as honorable 
as the badge that marks the magistrate of the State. He teacheth 
that all the badges of service are honorable, when they distin- 
guish the men and women who wear them as honest, competent 
and diligent in the labors they have hired themselves to perform. 

Honored and beloved kinsman, said Lady Marya in reply, I 
can understand the offense our Son would cause by such teach- 
ings to those whose minds are puffed up by a vain conceit through 
merits which surely are not righteousness. But I pray you to 
tell me, whether, in your own secret heart, you hold his views to 
be wrong or erroneous ? 

The old man smiled benignly as he answered : Beloved 
daughter, if you inquire thus; I must confess that my heart 
assures me that our Jesus is right. But who can trust his own 
heart or his own judgment against the teachers who m all ages 
were celebrated for piety, because of their atonements by fastings, 
sacrifice or other mortifications. They condemned servitude as 
degrading. Such teachers have always gained many followers 
and countenance from ecclesiastical and civil authorities. We had 
expected that as our kinsman grew in years, he also would see 
the necessity of conforming to the long established doctrines and 
customs of atonements. But he urgeth only the more earnestly, 
that God desireth no atonements from men except that they do 
unto others even as they would that others should do unto them. 

And is it possible to establish the kingdom of God by any 
other means? asked the Lady Marya. 

When they arrived at Heliopolis, they found Jesus with his 
friends. After the travelers had rested themselves and had be- 
come acquainted with the good priests, they together with Jesus 
and his disciples decided to go to GalileCr 


236 


lESAT NASSAU. 


It had so happened, some years before this time, that a com- 
pany of shepherds from Parthia had sold large flocks of sheep 
in Egypt, and were returning with a large amount of money. 
They were waylaid, and robbed by a band of robbers. Some of 
the shepherds were slain, and others were taken captives. Among 
the captives was one, Tityrus, who was sold to another band of 
marauders that roamed over a large territory. Tityrus tried to 
escape many times, but being a man of ability was too closely 
watched by his master. Finally he became reconciled to this 
mode of wandering and predatory life; because the master who 
first bought him, robbed on the highways only those who he 
believed had gotten their wealth by oppression or fraud. 

Tityrus had never taken the life of any man on these raids, 
and when his master died Tityrus still remained with the band 
because he had opportunities to save lives of such as he counted 
not deserving of death. 

It was at this time that Jesus Nassar with the Lady Marya 
were to leave Egypt. 

Imhotep Bar-Ptolomy, Didymus the Greek and Philip the 
Ethiopian had expressed their intention to visit Syria and Pales- 
tine with Jesus; to study those lands and peoples, just as Jesus 
had studied Egypt, her monuments and records. They arranged 
to set out from Heliopolis and to join the regular caravan for 
Syria at Pharbaethus ; which stood at the junction of most of the 
routes that led from Egypt to the East. 

It was among the sandhills, midway between Heliopolis and 
Pharbaethus, that the robbers were wont to lie in wait for travel- 
lers as they came in small parties from various directions towards 
the junction. The band to which Tityrus belonged was osten- 
sibly engaged in traffic. One day Tityrus, while lounging around 
the encampment, saw an old peddler approaching, who used to 
visit their chief at uncertain intervals of time. He had noticed 
that after each of these visits the band never failed to go on a 
raid and secure rich booty. 


THE LOST SHEEP. 


237 


A restlessness like a premonition of coming misfortune had 
possessed Tityrus on that day. So he strolled towards the chiefs 
tent from the rear, stealthily crawled up the sandhill against 
which it was pitched, and crouched down where he could hear 
what passed within without being seen. As he listened, his 
attention became more keen; he hardly dared to breathe freely 
for fear of losing a word. After a while he slowly raised his 
head, and glanced cautiously in every direction before moving. 
Not a single person was in sight. He crept away more carefully 
than he had approached ; and as he went, erased every vestige 
in the sand which could betray that any person had been near 
the tent. 

At supper on the evening of the same day, Tityrus said to his 
fellow-marauders . I have a vow to pay in the temple to-morrow. 
Who is going to Heliopolis, so that we may travel together ? 

One of the band, named Dumachus, answered : I also have 
business at Heliopolis ; though not at the temple. I will accom- 
pany you, and will meet you at the Sanctuary for the return 
journey. It is well to invoke the blessings of the gods, and par- 
ticularly that of Mercury on our trade. 

But you must not linger too long, said the chief, for I may 
have need of you the day after to-morrow. 

That is well, answered Dumachus, we will not fail you, oh 
Chief. But on that account we must set out this very night, else 
I will not have time to accomplish my business. How say you. 
Oh Tityrus ? 

Yea, verily, rejoined Tityrus, and after a few hours rest to- 
morrow evening, we can begin our return journey soon after 
midnight. 

Their horses were strong and fleet; therefore without undue 
exertion the two thieves reached Heliopolis during the early 
hours of the morning. Demachus betook himself to his haunts ; 
while Tityrus wended his way to the Temple of Ra. 

In the precincts he inquired for the custodian, saying that he 


238 


,IESAT NASSAR. 


had a vow to perform which necessitated the presence of that 
priest. When the venerable custodian appeared, Tityrus paid 
the customary reverence, and said that he had brought a thank 
offering for a timely warning. Then, bending to kiss the hand 
of the priest, he added in a low tone : Let me speak with your 
reverence in secret and immediately. Delay will be dangerous 
and fatal to one you love much. 

Come with me my Son, answered the custodian Nekba with- 
out any change in his voice or countenance which could indicate 
that he had received any unusual communication. He then led 
the way to a special chamber, which was so constructed that it 
was impossible for any person to hear what passed within, from 
any position on the outside. He closed the massive door, and 
then said to Tityrus : My Son, we are now absolutely safe from 
interruption or listeners, or spies. Therefore say what thou de- 
sirest without reserve. 

Reverend Sir, answered Tityrus, you love Jesus Nassar, who 
has been with you so long; and you would not that harm should 
come to him ? 

It is well known that we love him. But wherefore dost thou 
inquire, and who art thou ? 

I pray you. Reverend Sir to swear to me by your greatest 
oath, that you would not that harm befall him. 

I swear by the most solemn oath of our order, that I would 
defend Jesus Nassar from harm with my life, if need be. And 
the venerable priest took the oath. 

Then said the visitor, I will first tell you, my lord, who I 
am. My name is Tityrus, and I am one of a robber band. It 
was necessary for me to be convinced that you would avert harm 
from Jesus Nassar if he were threatened, before I trusted you. 
He is to travel to Pharbaethus from Heliopolis, and to begin his 
journey from this temple with the rise of the moon to-morrow 
night. In the company will be the Lady Marya, three noble- 
rnen, a Greek, an Ethiopian and an Egyptian, tlie nephew of 


THE LOST SHEEP. 239 

your Reverence. They will be escorted by some of your temple 
servants and a few Arab guards. Is not this the plan ? 

My Son, replied the custodian Nekba, it is as thou hast said. 

Now Reverend Sir, give ear unto my words. The country 
midway between Heliopolis and Pharbaethus is lonesome and 
destitute of any habitations fora long distance 111 every direction, 
as also shut in by numerous sandhills. Among those sandhills 
our band will lie in wait. Trusted men of our band will be 
stationed to watch for the approach of the party ; and will signal 
to their comrades the proper time for an onslaught. Jesus Nassar 
is to be slain without fail, and at all hazards ; but none of the 
rest are to be killed, unless in self defense. For the life of Jesus 
Nassar, our chief will receive thirty talents in gold. 

How much of this price for blood will fall to your share, and 
how much do you expect me to pay you for this information ? 
asked the priest of the robber. 

Reverend Sir, answered Tityrus, all of us who shall go on 
that raid, will receive large reward; but especially the one 
who will slay Jesus Nassar. But I came not to receive payment 
for the information ; and if it were known that I had betrayed 
this conspiracy, the chief would slay me with his own hand. Be- 
sides warning, I have come to offer advice and service if you will 
accept it. 

But how came you to know of this matter, and who is the 
enemy that is willing to pay so high a price for the life of Jesus 
Nassar ? questioned the priest with perfect calmness, although he 
divined that it could only be the High Priest of the Temple of 
Onion who had an interest to compass the death of Jesus Nassar, 
and thus to put an end to his revelations concerning the mani- 
festations of the Shekhenah. 

Then Tityrus told the venerable Nekba by what means he 
had overheard the messenger, who came to his chief in the 
guise of a peddler, arrange for murdering Jesus Nassar. 

The aged priest put many searching questions to Tityrus 


240 


lESAT NASSAR. 


concerning his usual habits — whether he always spied after the 
people who had dealings with his chief and what reasons had 
prompted him to listen this time ; as also, what interest had led 
him to take the journey and risk to bring the information to him. 

Tityrus replied that he had long suspected the peddler of other 
business than his ostensible trade, but had never cared to inquire 
further, since they themselves also had a private as well as a 
public profession. This time he had been impelled by some 
power, for which he could not account; a fear at his heart and 
a premonition of impending evil, as it were, which drew him 
towards the spot to listen. 

Reverend Sir, he continued, I have told you of my present 
profession, but you never asked me what I was before I became 
a robber. Hearken now, and you will understand; that my in- 
terest, is my loving, loyal duty in this matter. When quite a 
youth I went to Judea as one of the attendants in the train of 
the Magian priest-princes of Parthia, when they travelled to adore 
Jesus Nassar in his infancy, as the Great Deliverer sent by the 
Invisible Supreme. Alas ! unworthy that I am, for I am one of 
my lord’s retainers, since I took the oath of fealty to serve Jesus 
Nassar to the death. I laid my weapons at his feet and kissed 
the hem of his robe on that blessed day. 

My son, said the kindly old priest, deeply moved, wherefore 
dost thou not forsake thy evil ways and even now take service 
with thy liege lord Jesus Nassar? I know he will not reject 
thee if thou truly repent thee of thy transgressions and wilt deter- 
mine to sin no more. 

And who would save his life from the snares of our band, if I 
were now to forsake them and follow my liege lord ? asked 
Tityrus. 

But how will you save him ? inquired the priest. 

Hearken now to my advice. Reverend Sir. Instead of leav- 
ing Heliopolis with the rising of the moon to-morrow night, let 
Jesus Nassar set out secretly at the dawning of the morning. 


THE LOST SHEEP. 


241 


Spies are set and swift messengers will carry word when he 
begins the journey. Therefore, to-morrow with the dawn, bid 
him travel in disguise and wear the raiment of an Arabian of the 
desert, with cloak and head-cloth large enough to envelop him 
completely. Let those who accompany him also be disguised 
as Arabians of the Desert. Our Lady Marya must be clothed 
in the same manner, or else not travel in that company. No 
other band of robbers frequent that road, and I will see to it that 
I be appointed to watch for chance travellers during the daytime 
to-morrow. Let all the men except one or two carry spears 
tufted with ostrich feathers. Thus will I recognize them as men 
of a tribe with whom we are at peace, and whom our chief would 
not provoke to wrath and vengeance. They will therefore be 
allowed to pass quietly without hindrance from any of our band 
who may be on guard with me. 

When he had done speaking, the venerable priest blessed 
Tityrus and said : May the Great One grant thee forgiveness of 
the sins which thou hast committed and for which thou art not 
able to make reparation. Thou art a lost sheep, my Son ; but it 
is such as thou whom thy liege lord, Jesus Nassar, has come to 
seek and to save, and to restore to the kingdom of the universal 
Father. Should’st thou stand in need of a friend or a refuge, 
come to me and I will befriend thee if I am alive. 

Tityrus at this time was of middle age. He had been accus- 
tomed to do battle in defense of his flocks from early boyhood, 
and to fight as freebooter for some years past ; but his voice 
faltered and the tears glistened in his eyes as he replied : I 
shall remember you and your kind words. Reverend Sir, and 
pray that the Invisible Supreme may grant you long life and 
peace. Salute my liege lord Jesus Nassar, and tell him that I, 
his vassal, do him homage and will ever be loyal to him, even to 
the death. 

A little later the venerable custodian had acquainted Jesus 
Nassar and his three friends with the object of Tityrus’ visit. 

16 


lESAT NASSAl^. 


242 

Are you assured that the man is what he pretends to be, and 
not a spy sent to entrap our Master and friend into an ambush ? 
asked Didymus. 

By his physiognomy and accent I know him to be of Parthia, 
and by his bearing, form of speech and a certain manner, to 
have been a shepherd. I have seen much of men during my 
long life, therefore did not put trust in his words without many 
searching questions. I am convinced that the man is faithful in 
this matter, and I believe it would be well to follow his advice, 
seeing that the enemy will not refrain from setting snares and 
hunting for the precious life. It is not an ordinary fortune to 
possess a loyal vassal in the camp of the adversary. Besides 
this, I have often heard of this man what I have already told 
you, and I assured myself of his identity through one of the 
priests here who knows him personally. 

When they had consulted together, the Custodian sent a 
trusty messenger post haste to the chief of an Arabian tribe, 
whose camp was about two hours’ distance, to request his pres- 
ence at the temple. As the priests had frequent dealings with 
these sons of the desert, no importance was attached to the re- 
quest, either by the messenger or by the chief, who promptly 
answered the summons by returning with the messenger. He 
was also accompanied by two of his own tribesmen. 

The custodian had a private interview with the Arabian 
chief The darkness of night had long set in when he left the 
temple to ride back to his camp with two companions. 

Imhotep was seen about the town on the following day ; os- 
tensibly occupied with preparations for his own departure, as 
also that of his friends. He seemed anxious to secure a com- 
fortable conveyance for two persons, who were naturally under- 
stood to be the Lady Marya with her maid. He gave orders for 
the chariot, as weil as the riding horses to be in the temple pre- 
cincts in time for the party to set out on their journey with 
the rise of the moon, which would be an hour before midnight. 


tHE LOST SHEEP. ^43 

The Arabian chief had ridden silently with hi's two com- 
panions back to his camp, which they reached towards midnight. 
The sentry guards round the encampment recognized the steps 
of the horses long before they heard the hail of their chief, who, 
calling to one of them, bade him summon the ten men he 
named to his tent without delay. He then rode on, dismounted 
and entered his tent with the two who had come with him from 
the temple at Heliopolis. 

In a very short space of time ten stalwart, determined-looking 
men, well armed, entered one after another into the chiefs tent, 
where, in a few brief sentences, he informed these confidential 
and trusty tribesmen that they were to escort the two persons, now 
with him in the tent, to Pharbaethus in safety ; and not to leave 
them until Imhotep Bar Ptolomy arrived and relieved them of 
their charge. The chief took an oath of his men, that they would 
be faithful even to death, as guards; and not betray to any per- 
son whatsoever that the two persons who had returned with the 
chief and whom they were to escort, were not the two tribesmen 
who had ridden to Heliopolis with him. Pie further informed 
them that they would find the two tribesmen at Pharbaethus, 
whither they would travel with Imhotep Bar Ptolomy. 

Twelve of the best horses in the camp were soon ready; 
horses that were as lambs under the rein of the rider, but lions 
to trample all who attempted to stop them on the road, having 
been thoroughly trained to do so. 

When the morning star appeared, twelve Arabians of the 
desert, muffled in their camel hair cloaks and silken head cloths, 
rode silently out of camp ; and ten of their number carried spears 
tufted with ostrich plumes. 

Tityrus and Dumachus returned to the robber camp, which 
they reached two hours before midnight, at about the same 
time that the Arabian chief with his two companions rode away 
from Heliopolis. The two robbers found that most of their 
comrades had gone in quest of chance travellers, and only a few 


H4 


iESAT NASSAU. 


had been left to guard the camp. Tityrus immediately betook 
himself to sleep, and Dumachus soon followed his example. 

At sunrise the marauders returned wearied and discontented 
with the expedition which had not been profitable. They 
grumbled so much about their bad luck as they dismounted that 
their chief ordered them to be silent and listen to good tidings 
which he had received. The men immediately closed round 
him, while he told them that with the rise of the moon a party of 
travellers would leave Heliopolis. Among them there would be 
one whose life was valued at many talents of gold. If that one 
did not reach the junction of the caravans alive, they would ob- 
tain a goodly share of the reward. 

Some of the robbers suggested that none of the party need 
reach Pharbaethus alive, if it would increase their reward. Put 
the chief sternly ordered silence, and added that he did not want 
unnecessarily to create more blood feuds than he was already 
burdened with. Besides, he who was to be slain would not be 
avenged by his kindred. Further, the chief instructed his men 
to beat off or disable all who should try to rescue the person 
whom he himself would attack. That one slain, the rest might 
escape with their lives. 

The robbers forgetting weariness and discontent began to 
discuss the prospect with much glee. But the chief ordered them 
to their tents, adding : Go sleep and rest, so that you will be 
strong and fresh for the work of the coming night ; for the party 
will pass our usual lurking place between the morning star and 
the first flush of the sun rise. 

The men dispersed, well pleased by anticipation. Then the 
robber-chief called for Tityrus and Dumachus, who, having been 
wakened by the sounds of the returning expedition, now came 
forward. They were ordered on duty at the lookout for small 
parties of travelers whom they themselves could rob. They were 
given strict orders to signal to the sentries stationed between that 
spot and the camp immediately, if by any chance, a party con- 


THE LOST SHEEP. 


245 


taining a chariot, Egyptian servants and Arabian guards, should 
approach from the direction of Heliopolis. But they were not 
to arouse the camp on any other account ; since no other trav- 
ellers of importance were expected that day along that road. 

Does the party with the chariot carry much treasure ? in- 
quired Tityrus. 

More valuable than you wot of, replied the Chief with an evil 
laugh, therefore beware not to let them pass. 

You can rely on me whenever and wherever there is gain; 
said Dumachus. 

We could not fail to notice the approach of such a party, at 
a great distance from the lookout, added Tityrus. We will rouse 
the camp immediately they come into sight. 

The chief turned into his tent, where he muttered: Ah 
Tityrus, if you only knew that the life of a prince of your own 
race is the treasure, you would perchance not be so ready with 
your assurance. But for security against your interference, you 
will be left to guard camp to-night while we earn our guerdon. 

The sun had not risen more than an hour above the horizon, 
when the two robbers started for their post. Two hours later, 
Dumachus, who had lain down and fallen asleep, started up and 
said to Tityrus: Hearest thou not the sound of the feet of horses 
in the distance ? 

Yea, replied Tityrus lazily stretching himself, I not only hear, 
I also see them. It is a party of Arabians who ride either to 
attend a feast or are going on a raid, judging by their tufted 
spears. 

Perchance it is the party of whom our chief spoke, said 
Dumachus raising his open hand to shade his eyes, as he gazed 
in the direction from which the tramp of horses was now quite 
audible. 

As the party, which had been temporarily hidden from view 
by some intervening sand hills, came into sight, Dumachus 


246 


lESAT NASSAR. 


whispered : There is the Arabian guard ! Let us signal to 
our sentries ! 

But where are the Egyptian servants, and where is the 
chariot ? inquired Tityrus with a sneer. Our chief and our 
comrades are angry enough because of the past night’s failure, 
and you would make them more wroth by arousing the whole 
camp to see a few men of a friendly tribe pass by. The chief 
might kill you for such mockery. 

How know you that they are of a friendly tribe ? asked 
Dumachus. 

I have seen the Beni Nisr, Sons of Eagles, ride too often not 
to distinguish them from others, and I will give you forty groats 
if you will wait till they come up ; and on hailing, find that I 
was mistaken; answered Tityrus with a careless laugh. 

Hand over the money, said Dumachus, otherwise I will 
signal. 

Signal, if you seek trouble for yourself. But to show you 
that I know what I have spoken to be so, here is my money 
belt with all my sa\ ings in it as a pledge that I will not go back 
from my word. I know these people well ; and if through your 
foolishness an onslaught were made on them, their tribe is power- 
ful enough to drive us out of these parts. Under such conditions, 
you may be sure that our chief would sacrifice you to make peace 
again with them. 

Dumachus had at once seized the money belt, and girding it 
about his own loins laughed as he said: I care not whether they 
be friends or foes, so long as I have your money. 

The cavalcade was now quite near, riding together. Their 
faces were well shaded and muffled from the glare of the sun 
on the sands. 

Tityrus raised himself and stood up. He was instantly hailed 
by the foremost riders, with : W’ehsh i’zzohl — who goes there ? 

Friends, the Beni Ghrab, Sons of Ravens, replied Tityrus. 
And who may you be ? 


THE LOST SHEEP. 247 

Salaam ! Peace! we be the Beni Nisr, answered the men, as 
the cavalcade passed on. 

Salaam I Salaam I saluted Tityrus and Dumachus with a 
friendly wave of the hand. 

Towards sunset, the two thieves were relieved on the watch, 
and returned to the camp where they found their comrades 
making preparations for the night’s expedition. The spy mes- 
senger, whom Tityrus noticed coming out of the chief’s tent, had 
brought good tidings ; for the usually stem countenance of the 
robber-chief was joyously expectant. 

The good old custodian must be setting a snare for our band, 
mused Tityrus ; for I know that my liege lord is now safe at 
Pharbaethus; having passed us with the Beni Nisr. 

After supper, the chief appointed his men to different posts of 
duty. Guards for the camp, sentries for observation and outlook 
at the best points of vantage along the road. The raiding party 
was to lie hidden in the lurking places from which they could 
easily surround their prey ; as soon as they should hear the 
signals of the sentries. 

Tityrus grumbled a little because he was set among the 
watch of the camp. His curiosity was roused to find out 
whether his surmise was correct. 

Two hours before midnight, the robbers noiselessly departed 
to their various posts. When the moon rose an hour later, a 
company of Arabian guards and Egyptian servants well armed 
and well mounted, rode out of the temple precincts at Heliopolis 
They escorted a chariot containing two persons entirely en- 
veloped in cloaks and shawls. It was driven by a strong, agile 
charioteer who was armed with formidable weapons. 

Between two and three hours after midnight, the robbers who 
were lying in wait heard the preconcerted signals of the sentries, 
and advanced quickly but stealthily to surround the advancing 
party of travellers; who soon found themselves at a seeming 


248 


lESAT NASSAR. 


disadvantage. With a shout the robbers rushed to the onslaught, 
attacking them from the rear as well as in front. 

The robber-chief not being able to identify his intended victim 
by any difference of garb, attacked the inmates of the chariot; 
one of whom he calculated to be the Lady Marya. Her son 
would certainly rush forward to protect her. Thus he expected 
Jesus Nassar to betray himself. 

But instead of women, two giants, strong and agile sprang 
out of the enveloping cloaks and shawls, and attacked the aston- 
ished robber-chief. At this signal a mighty shout went up from 
the Arabian guards : Beni Nimr! Beni Nimr! Aleyhom! Aley- 
hom ! — Sons of the Tiger ! Upon them! Upon them! 

In an instant, the sound of the galloping of over a hundred 
horses was heard from the rear, and as many Bedowin fierce 
shouts of the tribal war cry of Beni Nimr! Beni Nimr! 

The robbers became confused. Their spies and messengers 
had reported that an ordinary guard had been hired. These they 
had expected to conquer without much difficulty by their supe- 
rior numbers. Such a guard as reported had indeed set out in 
charge of the party from the temple precincts. But they had 
been reinforced and greatly strengthened at a certain point along 
the road, according to agreement with the fierce tribe of Beni 
Nimr, who were the mortal enemies of this particular band of 
robbers. Another hundred warriors of the same tribe, who 
travelled by another route to avoid suspicion, had concealed 
themselves in advance in the immediate vicinity of the robbers^ 
haunts, and now swooped down on hearing the signal of their 
comrades. 

The robbers were soon put to flight, and their best horses, 
accoutrements and weapons were captured. The robber chief 
was caught ; his hands were tied securely behind his back, and he 
was placed on a horse with his feet tied under the horse’s belly. 
He was carried to Pharbaethus and delivered to the Roman 
authorities ; who had long wearied of his atrocities, They sent 


THE LOST SHEEP. 


249 


him safely to Rome, where he was^ sentenced for life to the galleys. 
Such punishment was more bitter than death to the robber chief 
who had hated and despised all labor. 

The tribes of Beni Nimr and of Beni Nisr, were richly re- 
warded for their faithful and valiant services. Imhotep Bar 
Ptolomy, Didymus the philosopher and Philip the Ethiopian with 
Jesus Nassar and the Lady Marya joined the caravan for Syria 
at Pharbaethus, and safely reached Galilee in due time. 

Ho ! wanderer from the Father’s face, 

Return, accept the proffered grace. 

Oh tempted one, there’s refuge nigh ; 

For Jesus of Nazareth, passeth by. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XVII. 


250 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


THE HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE. 

The news of the excommunication of Jesus Nassar caused 
great excitement among the chief priests and elders in Jerusalem. 
'I'he High Priest called a council to consider what notice it would 
be most politic for them to take of this action of the Jewish 
priesthood in Egypt. The Judean hierarchy had always been 
very jealous of that ecclesiastical body ever since the Shekhenah 
had been manifested in the temple of Onias. 

Although they were still very angry with Jesus for his refusal 
to admit that the authority of the Rabbis was divine, as also be- 
cause he had studied the Greek learning which they had ex- 
pressly prohibited as sinful, the Jerusalem hierarchy was so 
strongly opposed to any interference by the Rabbis of Egypt 
with the concerns of those who were under the Judean jurisdic- 
tion that this feeling predominated among the Sanhedrists in 
council. 

When Annas returned to his house after the session he was 
told that Eleazar had just returned from the east side of Jordan, 
where he had been for some weeks to transact business connected 
with the supply of cattle for the temple markets. He had sent a 
message that he would visit his father that same evening after 
supper to speak with him on matters of importance. So Annas 
gave orders to his servants that all visitors, with the exception of 
the High Priest and Eleazar, should be denied admittance. 

At this time both Annas and Eleazar were ex- high priests, 
and Caiaphas, who had been married to the daughter of Annas 
for some time, was the reigning High Priest. When Eleazar 
arrived he found his sister and brother in-law already with 
Annas. 

We have discussed grave matters this day, and we have 


THE HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE. 


251 


Strange news for you, brother, said tZ^aiaphas who had noticed by 
Eleazar’s manner that he considered himself the holder of im- 
portant information; and consequently entitled to be super- 
cillious. 

I wonder, thought Eleazar, whether they could have heard 
the tidings that I bring. But I will first give ear to what they 
have to tell me, and then will I reveal what I know without 
haste ; so that I may have leisure to perceive how I may profit 
thereby. 

You will be more astonished than you ever have been, son 
Eleazar, said his father gravely. 

I am ready and anxious to hear your wonderful tidings, re- 
plied Eleazar. But if you will astonish me more than I will 
make you marvel this night, I shall be satisfied. 

When Eleazar had been informed of all that the chief priests 
knew about the excommunication and boycott that had been put 
upon Jesus Nassar he almost danced for joy. Would that our 
mother had but lived to see this day ! he exclaimed addressing 
his sister. 

I perceive not how she could have been benefited by this 
event, brother, but it seemeth to be thy nature always to rejoice 
over the misfortunes of men who are better than thou, replied 
Sarah with a look of contempt at Eleazar. 

Let us avoid contention among ourselves. Oh my children, 
said Annas, but yea and verily, according to my judgment the 
High Priest of Onion hath overstepped the bounds of his juris- 
diction ; for he did not consult us before putting the great excom- 
munication on Jesus Nassar. For it may be that he hath only 
merited the lesser one. Such extreme measures are only calcu- 
lated to work mischief when we have to deal with persons of 
exalted rank and who can command such a following as Jesus 
Nassar. 

Father, replied Eleazar, I have heard it said that you were 
exceedingly politic in devising schemes for your own interest and 


252 


lESAT NASSAR. 


advancement in former times. Surely your keenness of percep- 
tion is not getting dull. Do you not perceive, that in this matter 
of the excommunication of Jesus Nassar, our colleague the High 
Priest of Onion hath altogether opened the way for your benefit ? 

We fail to understand your meaning, my son, said Annas; 
and therefore we pray you to speak plainly and not in riddles. 

Father, I must first have your promise under oath, that you 
will give me and my brothers that portion of the benefit which I 
shall name, if my plans meet with your approval and they suc- 
ceed. 

Annas promised and Eleazar proceeded : When the holy men, 
Ezra and Nehemiah, blessed be their memory, found that the 
sons of Israel had married Gentile wives by whom they had 
children who did not speak in the Jews’ language, they com- 
manded them to cast out and repudiate those wives and children, 
or else to forfeit all their substance. Did they not ? 

The truth is with thee, my son. 

Therefore father, continued Eleazar; do you and the elders 
now act according to the law and the blessed precedent set by 
those holy men. Summon the Lady Mary a to appear before the 
council within three days, and command her to repudiate her son 
Jesus, who, by speaking against the Name, hath surely not 
spoken in the Jews’ language. Such a one cannot inherit the 
property of his righteous grandparents, according to our holy 
law. 

That is just, replied Annas, and indeed, as thou knowest, the 
children of proselytes may be prevented from inheriting the wealth 
of their parents or of proselyte relatives. Lady Mary a and 
Youseph Pandardid inherit, only because we now suffer persecu- 
tion under the rule of the Romans, who will not permit us the 
free exercise of our holy laws when it would involve trouble with 
Parthia or her fiefs. Further, the Queen Helena, although a 
woman of piety in other matters, would not have allowed the in- 
heritance of her kinsfolk to pass to us^ and to the uses of the 


THE HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE. 253 

Sanctuary, as was meet and right when her cousin broke troth 
with us. 

Eleazar’s countenance now beamed with joy, and his smile 
became very expansive as he continued. Ah Father ! since you 
have not forgotten how you were wronged, and know your rights, 
it will be easier now to obtain redress. Should the Lady Marya 
refuse to repudiate her son, it will be the duty of the council to 
excommunicate her likewise. As one of the principal trustees of 
the entailed property, you will be able to appropriate at least the 
revenues of the estate, even though ostensibly for the use of the 
Temple. 

Whether she will obey us or not, remarked Annas sarcastic- 
ally, it seemeth that you have quite forgotten Youseph Pandar 
who, we know will not keep silence nor suffer Jesus to be repudi- 
ated or dispossessed without making trouble for us with the au- 
thorities. 

As for him, replied Eleazar looking keenly at his auditors, he 
is in Parthia. That country is internally much troubled through 
the intrigues of the disloyal feudatory kings and by the robber 
bands that infest the highways and by-ways. Hath it therefore 
never come into your minds that it is not impossible that Youseph 
Pandar might perchance meet with harm on the journey and 
i^ever return ? The Lady Marya is, by virtue of mekadesh be- 
trothal, your wife father, and now that our blessed mother is no 
longer living to make. any opposition, we are all ready and will- 
ing to render all due respect to the Lady Marya as our step- 
mother. But it is understood that we shall not be forgotten on 
the day when you enter into possession of the spoil. 

Blessings on thee my son, answered Annas smiling, and his 
small eyes gleaming with pleasure at the very idea of such a pos- 
sibility. I have sometimes feared that thou didst hate thy father, 
when judging thee by thy bitter words concerning my relations 
to the Lady Marya ; but now I perceive that such words were 
intended to pacify thy sainted mother. May she find mercy. 


lESAT NASSAi^. 


^j4 


What availeth it thus to talk of things that may never come 
to pass, said Caiaphas impatiently. I thought that you had some 
more tangible plan than the remote chance of a man being slain 
by robbers, when you exacted a premise under oath from your 
father. 

Caiaphas, replied Eleazar with a scornful look and tone ; the 
authorities made you pontiff because they knew that you were 
not overburdened with the perception which needeth no ex- 
pounder and no interpreter. It is well for you that I am of kin 
to you, and that it profiteth me to help you to a better ccanpre- 
hension of affairs than you could attain by yourself. 

Some of the obtuseness which thou so despisest in my husband 
might perchance have enabled thee to retain the office of high 
priest for a longer period than one year. Oh brother Eleazar, re- 
marked Sarah quietly. 

Eleazar’s supercillious air and smile angered Caiaphas, but won 
his father’s admiration when he answered : AVhat is office or title 
or wealth or favor or indeed a throne to him who hath the wis- 
dom to cause all those who fill such places to work his will even 
against their own inclinations. You Oh Caiaphas implied that 
I have spent the time in speaking vain and empty words ; even 
though you know full well that I have never yet committed such 
folly. 

Caiaphas looked disconcerted, but Annas eager and expect- 
ant. They now knew that Eleazar possessed most important in- 
formation which he had withheld for his own interest. 

Seeing that thou hast already secured thy own interests in the 
matter by our father’s promise to divide the gains with thee, said 
Sarah, and hast again proved to my husband that thou art a very 
Daniel in subtle and wise management of rulers, pray now tell us 
thy tidings. 

Eleazar rose and went to the door that led into the ante- 
chamber, and closed it saying: No one beside ourselves must 
hear what I have to tell you till after we have secured our rights. 


tkE HOUSE OF merchandise. ^55 

He then sat down beside his father, and motioned Sarah and 
Caiaphas to come closer. In low tones he proceeded to tell them 
that Youseph Pandar was dead, having been attacked and killed 
in a wild mountain pass on his journey homeward. 

No one, continued Eleazar, will know how he perished or 
that he perished at all, for his attendants were also slain, unless 
it should chance that some one who knew him passed that way 
and searched the bushes before the vultures and wild beasts de- 
voured the body. 

The God of our fathers hath helped his chosen, replied Annas 
with fervor, and hath caused the wicked man to fall, that he 
might not dispute the inheritance of the Temple with the elders 
of Israel. 

Annas and Eleazar now instructed Caiaphas to call a council 
which should summon Lady Marya to appear before them within 
three days, when the elders should order her to disown her son 
Jesus, and to live with Annas as a lawful and obedient wife in 
Israel ought to do. If Lady Marya failed to appear or refused 
to obey such orders of the council, she was to be excommuni- 
cated and her property declared to be forfeited to the community 
of Israel. 

After Caiaphas left, Eleazar gave his father Annas further in- 
structions : In the council always bear in mind, father, that — the 
words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the 
masters of assemblies, which are given by one shepherd. As I 
shall be with you. you can rely upon me to supply enough goads 
to stir up our colleagues to anger against this Jesus Nassar; in 
whom, now that our Sarah is married, you can have no further 
interest. 

Truly my Son, concerning words that are as goads; thou art 
a master of assemblies. 

But, continued Eleazar, see to it that Caiaphas should be the 
one shepherd who shall utter the words which will fasten as nails 
in a sure place. Also do not forget that as soon as the council 


lESAT NASSAR. 


25^ 

shall declare the estates and inheritance of Jesus Nassar as for- 
feited to the community of Israel, I must hasten to drive the 
necessary nail of proprietorship into that portion of the Court of the 
Gentiles which his grandparents dedicated for Sanctuary. My 
brothers and I find it very convenient for our markets and money 
changers. It saves us much trouble and expense to have our 
markets within the enclosure, and will enable us in time to ruin 
our rivals who now compete with us. 

Right my son. Thou wilt be at liberty to leave the council 
at what time thou shalt see fit to do so, and I shall accomplish 
the rest. For although the other members will not venture to 
bid against me on account of my prior right by betrothal meka- 
desh with the Lady Mary a, yet it is well to drive in the nail of 
proprietorship before anyone else has the time or opportunity to 
do it. 

And now Father, said Eleazar with pious unction, let us bless 
the Lord God of Israel, who hath thus showed us favor to give 
us a nail in his holy place by stirring up the heart of the High 
Priest of Onion to excommunicate Jesus Nassar. 

When the Sanhedrim met in council the next day and sent a 
summons to the Lady Mary a and Jesus Nassar to appear within 
three days, they well knew that she had gone to Egypt to join 
her son. The summons sent to the Palace Grapte was a mere 
formality with which it was politic to comply. The retainers in 
charge of the palace were Gentiles who attached no significance 
to the message. 

The council met again three days later and resolved that 
although the Lady Marya had not obeyed the summons to ap- 
pear, yet no punishment should be inflicted on her personally if 
in the future she should consent to do her duty towards her be- 
trothed, Annas the ex-high priest, who might now have her to 
wife. 

It was also declared that the revenues of the entailed estates 
were forfeited to the uses of the Temple, and that they were to 


THE HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE. 257 

be administered according to Annas’ judgment, because of his 
claim and rights as the lawful husband of the Lady Marya. 

As for Jesus Nassar, he was pronounced worthy of death for 
blasphemy. But as none of the members of the council had 
heard him utter it, nor had they any witnesses, Jesus could not 
be executed. 

Eleazar did not fail to drive in the nail, or stake, on the 
premises he had coveted. Such an act, according to Jewish 
custom was necessary to insure his claim to succeed to property 
owned by the Gentiles. 

About a month before the Passover Ben Parakhai returned 
from Egypt. He had written to Annas to inform him on which 
day to expect him. The ex-high priest was impatient and anxi- 
ous to ascertain the true reason for the excommunication of 
Jesus and did not believe the story that he was guilty of blas- 
phemy. With a suitable number of attendants he rode several 
miles out of the city to meet Ben Parakhai. At a pretty place 
along the road of travel, where travellers often made a halt, 
Annas had ordered a tent to be pitched and light refreshments 
to be provided. Here he dismounted and waited. When Ben 
Parakhai arrived with his disciples and attendants Annas received 
and welcomed him most effusively at the door of the tent. Con- 
ventional and special salutations and courtesies were again ex- 
changed after they were seated in the tent, and the servants served 
costly and delicate refreshments. Then all the attendants retired 
to a respectful distance outside the tent so that they could not over- 
hear the conversation within. In reply to the clever questions 
of Annas, Ben Parakhai revealed all that had happened in Egypt 
and what Jesus Nassar had said of the Shekhenah, as also that 
he had formally renounced Judaism. 

What! whispered Annas in intense excitement, you — you 
were fool enough to quarrel with Jesus Nassar over that matter; 
to rebuke and offend him, and still madder to join in excom- 
municating him ? 


17 


258 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Ben Parakhai became angry, and replied: We are not used 
to be called a madman and a fool, because we had regard to 
the honor of the Name. Would you then perchance have 
praised him for his dishonor to the Name and the Temple? 

Alas! Ben Parakhai, said Annas with a groan. We fear 
that your zeal hath worked great loss to our own Sanctuary of 
Jerusalem. In your place, we would verily and indeed have 
shown such friendship and seeming confidence in his judgment, 
as to lead Jesus Nassar to demonstrate practically unto us the 
means whereby the blessed Shekhenah could be produced. Think, 
Oh Ben Parachai, that if in place of being the bearer of the evil 
tidings that Jesus Nassar hath abjured our holy religion, you had 
brought such wisdom as would have restored the former glory 
to the Temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem. 

Woe is me ! said Ben Parakhai ; for I see now that you spoke 
truth when you called me an over-zealous fool. 

Now that we understand each other my dear friend, said 
Annas, soothingly, it may be that all is not lost. Seeing that we 
of Jerusalem have not excommunicated Jesus Nassar, could we 
not receive him in a friendly manner and guide our course by 
his disposition towards us, in the matter of restoring the Glory 
of the House of the Lord ? 

That would indeed be wise and right to do, replied Ben 
Parakhai. Then, suddenly striking his breast with his clenched 
hand, he added, dolefully : But we fear that you will not have the 
opportunity, because we believe that he will not live to return. 

Annas paled as he inquired eagerly and in an agitated whisper: 
Was he condemned ? 

Ben Parakhai replied by and affirmative gesture. 

They feared that he would betray their secret to us of Jeru- 
salem, who in that case could easily have regained complete 
ascendancy and supremacy, said Annas, angrily. And you. Oh 
Ben Parakhai, were as blind and obtuse as a Gentile to your own 
interests and to the holy mission of Israel. 


THE HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE. 


259 


After further discourse on the subject, Annas persuaded Ben 
Parakhai not to reveal to any person whatever the matter of the 
Shekhenah, until they should further consider the matter, and 
until they should know whether Jesus had been assassinated or 
not. 

Ben Parakhai was fully convinced that he had acted with far 
too much precipitation in joining the Jewish hierarchy in Egypt 
against Jesus. That he, who was accounted to be one of the 
most able and best balanced rabbis, should have allowed his 
temper to cloud his discrimination was very humiliating to the 
old man. He now willingly promised that he would not tell 
any person the details of the case against Jesus before the astute 
Annas should allow him to speak. 

When the ex-high priest confided to his son what he had 
learned from Ben Parakhai, Eleazar cursed the old rabbi for his 
short-sighted policy in missing such a chance, but comforted his 
father and himself with the idea that if Jesus Nassar also was 
dead there would be no difficulty to secure the Lady Mary a with 
all her property as well as that of her deceased husband. 

The death of Youseph Pandar became known. A few hours 
after the assassins had concealed the bodies a messenger hap- 
pened to pass that way, and noticed that birds of prey were 
circling above a thicket of bushes at a little distance off the road. 
He passed over to examine what it was over which they were 
hovering, and was terrified by the sight. He had, however, 
presence of mind to cover the faces of the dead, and to secure 
boughs and bushes over them by stones so that no bird or beast 
of prey could mutilate the bodies ; while he ran with all speed 
to a village two miles distant. There he was quickly joined by 
a number of men who soon removed the bodies to their own 
Madyafy or place of hospitality. The victims were identified, 
notice was sent to their friends and their bodies were laid to rest 
with mourning and proper funeral ceremonies. 

Emb^lm^rs wer^ brought from the nearest city to prepare 


26 o 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the body of Youseph Pandar which was laid in a cave sepulchre 
to await the commands of his widow the Lady Marya. The 
sad news reached her on her return to Galilee from Egypt. 

John and James, the cousins of Jesus, who had brought the 
information to Nazareth, and Peter and Andrew who also were 
his kinsfolk, accompanied the Lady Marya with Jesus and his 
disciples to Capernaum. They abode together till the body of 
their beloved and respected kinsman and business partner, 
Youseph Pandar, was brought from its temporary resting place. 
It was carried to J erusalem and laid to its final rest in the family 
tomb in the Valley of the Kedron, between the mountains of 
Olivet and Moriah. The members of the family were on this 
occasion accompanied by a large company of relatives, friends 
and retainers in token of respect and sympathy. 

Meanwhile Annas, C'aiaphas and Eleazar had called a select 
council of the Sanhedrists to discuss the death of Youseph Pandar 
and the abjuration of Jesus Nassar. It was resolved that all the 
wealth of these children of aliens was the inheritance of the Lord 
whose chosen representatives on earth were the elders of Israel. 
Consequently these, his agents, ought to take possession v^hen- 
ever and wherever they could do so without danger of injury to 
themselves. 

On their return from Egypt, the Lady Marya and Jesus had 
been informed that the sons of the ex-high priest, Annas, had 
established their marts on the premises dedicated as Sanctuary 
for proselytes and Gentiles. The Galileans were exceeding 
wroth at such presumption and desecration, and vowed to ex- 
ecute summary vengeance as soon as they should go down to 
the celebration of the feast. But Jesus had advised them to use 
no violence, and promised that as he would soon travel to Jeru- 
salem with the Lady Marya they would then put an end to all 
such illegal use of the premises by the Judean chief priests. 

The news of their bereavement had delayed their journey, 
and they arrived in the Holy City but a short time before the 


THE HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE. 


261 


Passover. The Queen Helena had come to Jerusalem at the 
same time. 

Due notice was served upon the sons of Annas, the ex-high 
priest, that they should remove their markets from the premises 
dedicated for sanctuary, but they had utterly disregarded the 
order and had continued in possession. 

All Jews and proselytes, with the exception of the women, 
the slaves and minors, were obliged to pay annual tribute to the 
Temple of Jerusalem of half a silver shekel. This was to be 
paid according to the sacred standard and in currency of the 
sanctuary of which only a certain number was coined. The 
hierarchy limited the quantity in order to increase the profits on 
the exchange, for they sold these shekels, through their money 
t'hangers, to the people at a large profit. The people paid them 
into the temple treasury out of which they were sold and resold 
continually, and were always returning to the chief priests as temple 
tribute. As Roman coin was the legal tender, and Parthian and 
Egyptian money also circulated in Judea, the money changers 
exacted a high premium on each half shekel which was about 
thirty cents in value. It has been computed that the profits 
from this industry alone afforded the money changers about 
fifty thousand dollars clear profits every year. Besides this 
source of income they derived large profits from deductions for 
loss of weight in coin, exchange of foreign coin, cashing drafts, 
loaning money on enormous interest and other profitable trans- 
actions of the money trade. 

The Temple market traders also supplied oil, flour, incense, 
wine and all other things that were needed for meat and drink 
offerings. There were also the sheep, oxen, doves and other 
animals exacted by the priesthood for sacrifice. These were ex- 
amined by inpectors appointed by the chief priests, and the in- 
spectors pronounced the offerings fit or otherwise. For each 
examination these inspectors charged a large fee. 

Although the prices were presumably fixed by tariff every 


262 


iESAT NASSAU. 


month, yet undue advantage was continually taken of the people 
who came to offer sacrifices, and prices were run up to enorm- 
ous figures, such as a gold denar, about four dollars, for a pair of 
pigeons, and all other supplies in proportion. The people had 
no redress for such extortions, for they were compelled to offer 
only such things as had passed inspection and been pronounced 
fit for acceptance. 

By establishing their markets within the Temple enclosure, 
Eleazar and his brothers soon secured the entire monopoly of 
material for offerings and sacrifices, as well as of the tribute 
shekels. Meanwhile the proselytes and Gentiles for whose 
special benefit the premises had been donated, performed their 
devotions as best they could amid such surroundings, for they 
were not permitted to enter the Temple premises further than 
the Court of the Gentiles. 

During the week preceding the feast of the Passover, the 
markets presented a scene of uncleanness and confusion revolting 
to the sight and sickening to the sense of smell. 

The money changers sat on low rush bottomed stools, with 
wooden stands of about eighteen inches high in front of them. 
On each of these wooden stands a large wooden tray was placed, 
in shape like a kite. This tray had a ledge a few inches deep all 
round except at the point where it was apen, and thus made a 
convenient shute for the coin which at the end of the day was 
poured into a stout canvas bag. While transacting business, the 
coins were ranged in rouleans on this tray according to their 
various denominations, and were covered with a wire netting to 
prevent their being snatched by thieves. Such were the tables of 
the money changers. 

The clink of the coins was ceaseless. The numerous money 
changers sitting at their tables called to customers, gesticulating, 
arguing, disputing about correct change, light weight and legal 
rates; while the customers bargained, complained and quarrelled 
over exhorbitant charges, or on account of light weight, defaced or 


^HE HOUSE OF ME^RCjHANDlSE. 263 

mutilated coins which the money changers tried to pass on 
them. 

All over the premises, the ground under foot was covered and 
trodden with a mass of dirty straw, and uncleanness caused by 
the birds and cattle that were herded there for sale. The poor 
beasts lowed and bleated for their young or for their dams, as 
they were dragged apart for sale or jostled hither and thither by 
the excited, worried and hurrying purchasers, who were eager to 
get all their preparations completed in time for the feast. 

The traders yelled and vociferated, either in praises of the 
wares and animals they had for sale, or in curses on the cus- 
tomers who turned a deaf ear to their blandishments, and on the 
animals whom they struck unmercifully with sticks or kicked 
brutally whenever they did not succeed in effecting a good sale. 

This Babel of noises was confusing and deafening ; while the 
jostling and pushing of the crowd added to the mingled odors of 
unwashed, perspiring men and beasts, and the trodden unclean- 
ness, well-nigh suffocated those who were not used to fight their 
way through such assemblies. 

It was in the midst of such a multitude, that Jesus, his 
cousins, disciples and retainers found themselves, when they en- 
tered the Court of the Gentiles. 

Turning to his retainers, Jesus Nassar gave the order in a 
clear, distinct manner : Bid the traders take these things hence, 
and make not the sanctuary of my fathers a house of merchandise. 

The retainers executed the order with zeal and gladness, as 
they ordered the money changers and other traders to hasten and 
clear the premises of their wares. 

Some of the traders obeyed promptly when they saw Jesus 
Nassar in the midst of his retainers. But others, more bold, es- 
pecially among the money changers who had heard that Jesus 
had been excommunicated in Egypt, and believed the Sons of 
Annas, their employers, to be all powerful, insolently refused to 
remove their wares. 


264 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Several of them had also meanwhile rushed away to summon 
Eleazar and his brothers ; because the priests who were present 
did not make any effort to prevent their being driven from the 
premises. 

Then Jesus gave his retainers the order to pour the coin off 
the tables into their proper receptacles, to remove the wares, and 
to drive out the traders and money changers, who persisted in re- 
fusing to vacate the place. 

This the retainers did gladly. In some instances when the 
coin had been emptied into the bags which were handed to their 
owners with the order to get up and go immediately, the changers 
resisted and attempted to maintain their positions with violence. 
Then the retainers became angry, kicked the tables over and used 
their whips over the money changers. But when the traders saw 
that the Sons of Annas, who had arrived, were accosting Jesus 
Nassar with seemingly suave deference, even the most defiant 
went away quietly; cursing the priests, the temple and their 
own ill luck. 

When Eleazar came with a number of priests and elders, 
Jesus said to them: Rulers of Israel, see that ye take these 
things hence, and make not the Sanctuary of my Fathers an 
house of merchandise. 

But whence shall we know that thou hast authority to give 
such orders, Oh Jesus Nassar; seeing that the Lady Marya is 
alive and her’s is the authority, replied Eleazar ; while his com- 
panions chimed in with : Yea verily ! 

The Lady Marya hath given us the power to act as her 
representative in all things that concern her estates; as also of 
those that are entailed. Therefore, as the sole heir, and acting 
for the Lady Marya, we now give you due notice that if ye 
make any further attempt to desecrate these premises, donated 
by our ancestors conditionally to their being used for a sanctuary, 
you destroy it as a sanctuary, and thus forfeit the claims of the 
Temple to its use. In such case we will, within three days, 


THE HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE. 265 

nullify the title deeds which place the sanctuary in charge of the 
temple officials, and will raise it again from its desecration to be 
a sanctuary free to all nations. 

With great difficulty Eleazar repressed his rage, as he replied 
that he had been permitted to use that portion of the Court of 
the Gentiles by the council, who, having received word that 
Jesus had been excommunicated, and had abjured Judaism, 
believed that he would not care to what uses those premises 
were put; so long as it was in the service of the Temple. 

After the place was cleared of the markets it was thoroughly 
cleansed and purified, and restored to its proper uses as a sanc- 
tuary. 

Annas, with Eleazar and several prominent elders, sought the 
presence of the Queen Helena ; to complain of the incon- 
veniences to the Temple service which had resulted from the 
summary ejection of the traders and money changers from the 
Court of the Gentiles. 

That royal lady had however been very angry at the gross in- 
sult to herself, by the placing of the temple markets on the 
premises, where she was obliged to perform her devotions when 
she went to worship in the Temple. For, being a proselyte, she 
was not permitted to enter further than the Court of the Gentiles. 

Consequently she became still more indignant when Annas 
a;nd his colleagues ventured with such copiplaints to her, and 
answered : If you. Oh Rabbi Annas and* you Elders of the 
Jews, consider that a place filled with wares, cattle, filth and 
crowds of brawling money changers, traders and buyers, is a 
place meet for us in which to worship God, we now inform you 
that we are not accustomed to make our devotions among such 
surroundings. And it would be better for us, perchance, to 
worship for the future in the temples and sanctuaries of our own 
race and nation, which are always clean, and where we have the 
respect paid us which is due to all worshippers of the Gods, no 
matter of what rank or race. Our kinsman Jesus Nassar, hath 


266 


iESAT NASSAR. 


but done us pleasure and rare good service in cleansing the sanc- 
tuary of your pollutions. Therefore, begone from our presence, 
if ye would not anger us further. 

With humble and suave apologies and expressions of deep 
regret, but with fierce rage and hate in their hearts, Annas and 
lus colleagues departed to plot, and conspire, and scheme, how 
they might most effectively subdue these haughty aliens, without 
risk of loss or injury to themselves. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XVIII. Also pages of 
same, 541, 548, 549. 



i 



THE SECOND TEMPTATION. 


267 


CHAPTER XIX. 


THE SECOND TEMPTATION. 

From the presence of Queen Helena, Annas and Eleazar 
went to the house of Caiaphas the High Priest, where Ben 
Parakhai also awaited them. 

When he learned the results of their interview with the 
Queen, Caiaphas became angry, and advised the calling of a 
council to decide upon some effective means whereby they could 
destroy Jesus openly or secretly. 

He said: This Jesus is the heir; and he will deprive us not 
only of the chance of taking possession of much material 
wealth, but also of the ecclesiastical supremacy which we have 
labored so hard to establish throughout the world. In this 
matter of the temple marts, we have an example of what we 
may expect from him in all that concerns our holy privileges. 
Therefore let us kill him ; and the inheritance of ecclesiastical 
supremacy as well as his material wealth shall remain ours. 

And now Annas, Eleazar and Ben Parakhai revealed to 
Caiaphas that Jesus had possessed himself of the secret of the 
Shekhenah. 

This news completely staggered Caiaphas, and for several 
minutes he was unable to utter a word. When after many ques- 
tions he became convinced that what they said must be true, he 
exclaimed : 

How much wisdom we can learn from the example of those 
holy men Ezra and Nehemiah; blessed be their memory. Was 
it not recorded by them for the benefit of their successors who 
should understand, that: ‘‘The elders of the Jews builded and 
prospered through the prophesying of Haggai and Zacharaih ?” 

Yes verily, said Eleazar, and all through the ages did the 
wise elders of the Jews build and prosper by the same method. 


268 


lESAT NASSAR. 


For there is no other system so powerful and effective, and yet 
so totally unsuspected by the people, as a prophecy which they 
can be persuaded to believe is inspired. The people will cheer- 
fully spend wealth and life in labors to bring about even a sem- 
blance of its fulfilment. 

Therefore my children, added Annas : Blessed be the mem- 
ory of the man who first classed profitable schemes, political 
plans and foresight, among inspired prophecies. 

You are both right and wise, replied Caiaphas; and there- 
fore must this Jesus be persuaded that the prophets spoke of him, 
as the one who should cause the latter glory of the holy House 
to be greater than the former. 

Since temporal power cannot tempt him, said Annas, we must 
proceed with sagacity, and influence him to work for us through 
his desire to teach and enlighten the people. 

After further discussion of the subject, they decided that, as 
old acquaintances, it would be most politic and favorable to their 
plans, to pay a visit of condolence to the widowed Lady Marya 
and her son Jesus Nassar. 

Accordingly, during the holiday week they paid the visit with 
all due form and ceremony; and were received by Jesus and his 
cousins with the honor and formality consequent on his own 
rank, the occasion and the exalted position of the visitors. 

After the necessary formalities had been complied with, Ben 
Parakhai intimated that he and his friends earnestly desired 
opportunity to speak in private with Jesus. 

Thereupon, the relations and friends who were present, as 
also the attendants who, in accordance with custom, stood in the 
audience chamber to wait upon the Master and his guests, all 
withdrew. 

Ben Parakhai started the diplomatic battle. He expressed 
himself in well selected touching terms, and with the dignity of 
age and learning asked forgiveness of Jesus for what had seemed 
harsh and wrong in his action against him in Egypt. He attribu- 


THE SECOND TEMPTATION. 


269 


led his own hasty words and anger at the time, to the shock he 
had experienced when he heard that the Blessed Shekhenah had 
been brought down from heaven by the instrumentality of the 
High Priest. 

Kindly but gravely, Jesus answered that he freely forgave 
the part that Ben Parakhai had taken in the matter. 

Pray tell us, Oh Khaber Jesus, inquired Eleazar, could one 
acquire this art from the learning of the Greeks ? 

Jesus smiled as he replied : You would have to study and 
combine mechanics with chemistry. 

P^xplain to us we pray you, spoke Annas, according to our 
understanding, the means whereby our colleagues cause the 
manifestation. Is it by invocations or gold, or gems, or magic, 
or how ? 

By none of these, answered Jesus. And then he explained 
in terms comprehensible to his auditors, that it was entirely by 
mechanico- chemical means that such phenomena were produced. 
Also, of the construction and subterranean connection with the 
holy of holies. 

While Jesus spoke, the attention of Annas was so intense that 
he sat perfectly motionless; but when the subterranean con- 
nection had been described, he gave a gasp and exclaimed un- 
wittingly ; Rabbona Shalom ! Lord protect us ! It is the same ! 

Caiaphas and Eleazar exchanged pleased glances; but Ben 
Parakhai gazed awe struck and amazed. 

With a smile of pity, Jesus answered Annas : Yea, it needs to 
be, and we know that the well in the cave connects by a shaft 
•v/ith the Stone of Eben Shathiyah, upon which is your holy of 
holies. 

Eleazar was the first to recover from his surprise that Jesus 
had acquired this knowledge also, and remarked tentatively : It 
would therefore be comparatively an easy matter to manifest the 
Glory in our Sanctuary, as of old ; and to restore the fame of our 
holy city. Then would the words of the prophet be fulfilled ; 


270 


lESAT NASSAR. 


that the Law shall again go forth from Jerusalem, and the word 
of the Lord from Mount Zion. 

They all looked at Jesus; but he spoke no word in reply. 
Then said Ben Parakhai : I am now convinced of the truth of 
thy words in Egypt, Oh Jesus Nassar. But it is not alway pos- 
sible to explain to the multitude, the means whereby the Almighty 
doth manifest his wonders and his glory ; since, even we who are 
initiates cannot comprehend how materials in different forms, 
obey the will of man to produce so glorious a light ; that the eve 
of flesh cannot look boldly upon it. Neither do I believe that 
even the wise man who produces such results, can altogether un- 
derstand the powers which obey his will. Therefore, verily and 
indeed these powers are the messengers of the Almighty; and 
although obedient to man, can yet smite him with death if he use 
them not with wisdom. Thus is man a little lower than these 
angels; although all things are subdued by him. 

You have expressed our own thoughts, Friend; said Annas. 
And thou. Oh Jesus Nassar; if thou hast power to perform this 
celestial magic, believe me it hath been given thee that thou 
mightest thereby draw the people to righteousness. How sayest 
thou ? 

All power, answered Jesus, is given us to use for righteous 
living. But was it not because I spoke the truth to the people, 
that I was excommunicated ? 

But we of the priesthood of Jerusalem had naught to do in 
the matter, said Caiaphas anxiously. On the contrary, we would 
have you return unto the congregation of Israel ; because, seeing 
that this power hath been given you, it hath been revealed to us 
that you are the Nassar of whom the prophets Zachariah and 
Haggai spake saying: He shall bear the Glory; and, that the 
latter glory of the Sanctuary shall be greater than the former. 

And the sign of the time hath been fulfilled; in that many 
nations have joined themselves unto the Jehovah of Israel, added 
Annas piously. 


THE SECOND TEMPTATION. 


271 


Will ye then, that I reveal to the people, that the manifesta- 
tion in the temple of Onion is produced by the priests ? in- 
quired J esus. 

If you will that the people receive your sayings, replied 
Caiaphas ; it is necessary that there be unity and council of peace 
between us ; and that you make the sacred stone Eben Shalhi- 
yah bread wherewith to feed Israel. Therefore if you will now 
cause the Blessed Shekhenah to return to our Holy House, it will 
be the means of bringing much wealth from all parts of the world 
for the support of the sacred services of our Temple and of the 
elders and teachers of the people. 

Would ye teach the people the art of producing the light 
which ye name Shekhenah ? asked Jesus. 

Nay, replied Caiaphas, that would not be right ; for we can- 
not make the Sanctuary a school for the study of the sciences 
and arts. Besides, the majority of the people would not believe 
tliat the intangible Glory was the offspring of earthly matter. 
They would still hold that a spirit had been imprisoned, which 
you released by celestial magic. Thus would they again be led 
away to worship matter, and the last error will be worse than the 
first. 

Then wherefore not manifest the light, and teach the art in a 
school, if ye desire that I teach the people these things ? 

That would cause much transgression, said Annas. Not only 
will the ignorant be led astray to worship material forms as the 
abode of the Deity, but those who learn with understanding, 
will become filled with pride and unbelief, and will say : AVe also 
can search out the hidden things of the Most High with all 
mysteries; we also are temples and oracles of God. 

Make ye not such claim for yourselves ? inquired Jesus. 

Yea verily, replied Ben Parakhai, because the secret of the 
Lord is with his chosen priests, to whom it is given to know the 
mysteries. But unto them that are without^ all these things are 
done in parables. 


272 


lESAT NASSAR. 


And wherefore should not all men who are willing to learn, 
become partakers of the wisdom of the Almighty ? 

Thou speakest well, Oh Jesus Nassar, replied Annas; but we 
must bring these things to pass gradually : teaching and training 
the laity, by allegory and symbol. Thus will the fame of the 
glorified Sanctuary reach unto the uttermost parts of the earth, 
and will draw all the desirable things of the nations unto it. 
The Stone of Eben will thus beeome bread for the souls of men, 
who by their offerings will maintain the living oracles of God, 
that minister to the people. ‘‘ If, therefore, thou art truly the 
Son of God, command that this Stone be made bread.” 

Jesus paused awhile, and looked sadly upon them ; for he 
knew what was in their hearts. He saw that their object was 
to possess the ability to manifest the Shekhenah again in the 
Temple of Jerusalem, and thus to gain additional power to bind 
more firmly, the burdens of superstition upon the souls and 
bodies of men. He also knew, that if he refused to do their will 
in this matter, they never would cease to plot and work against 
his life. 

Again his great, self-denying love for the human race, and 
his Godlike Spirit rose superior to a great temptation ; and he 
answered kindly, but gravely and firmly. 

Elders, and teachers of Israel; the spirit of man cannot be 
nourished and live by the bread of symbolism alone. The Gen- 
tile priesthood, whom ye denounce as idolaters, give this same 
stone of symbolism to their people in place of the bread of truth 
which I have come to bring to the children of the All-Father, 
therefore I cannot return unto you; having denounced all 
deceits, and also caused many others to do likewise. 

Teach us to follow Jesus, who ever trod 
With loving zeal, the pathway to our God ; 

Like him to live, that in our daily race 

The things of God may hold the highest place. 

See Appendix corresponding chap. XIX. Also pages of 
?ame, 549-5 5 ^- 


TIIE ESSENES AND THE SABBATH. 


m 

CHAPTER XX. 


THE ESSENES AND THE SABBATH. 

The name Essene was probably derived from two words. 
The Syriac Assa — to heal, to cure. The Aramaic or Arabic word 
Asna — most high, sublime. The Rabbinical writings refer to ; 
this sect as the “ Khit-Sonim,” or the Outsiders. Such appella- t 
tion would be entirely in accordance with Judaic ecclesiastical 
custom. The Pharisees who had the moulding of their theolo- 
gical language were in the habit of giving hard and often vile 
names to those who differed from them. This was frequently 
very easily accomplished by the omission, addition, or trans- 
position of a letter or letters in the right name. 

The character and standing of this sect, in relation to ortho- 
dox Judaism was thus clearly defined by the name Khitsonim, or 
Outsiders; for in respect to some doctrines, modes of life and wor- 
ship, the Essenes stood outside of the Jewish body ecclesiastic. 
In the Essene system of religion there was no room for an 
Aaronic priesthood, nor for bloody sacrifices. They repudiated 
both these institutions although they sent offerings to the Jewish 
Temple; but not for bloody sacrifice. The Essenes were not 
Jews by race; but they had been permeated with some of the 
leaven, and were acco^inted within the lines of Judaism. They 
were probably, some of those eastern Aryans of the Parsee and 
Magian religions, who, dissatisfied with their own creed as in- 
sufficient, were influenced and persuaded by the Jewish claims to ‘ 
a special revelation, to connect themselves to a certain extent 
with that people. 

The elder Pliny, A. D. 23-79, 

Essenes had already existed several thousand years ; and one of 
the best ascertained facts concerning this sect is that they pos- 
sessed secret holy writings of their own, which they guarded with 
special care.” 


18 


274 


lESAT NASSAU. 


Essenes and Therapeuti were one and the same religious sect; 
all of whom possessed some knowledge of the healing art. 
Those of their number who by the regular prescribed course oi 
study were qualified to practice as authorized physicians, were 
probably specified as Therapeuti, to distinguish them from the 
other Essenes who engaged in agriculture and mechanical arts. 

The Essenes believed that all things are best ascribed to God : 
that the soul is immortal and continues for ever ; that it is of the 
most subtle ether and united to the body as in a prison; but 
when released from the bonds of the flesh it rejoices and mounts 
upwards. Good souls have their habitation in a region that is 
not oppressed with rain or snow or intense heat, but is refreshed 
by gentle winds. Bad souls Avere allotted to darkness and pun- 
ishment. 

They did not believe in the resurrection of the body^ because 
it is corruptible and the matter of which it is made is not 
permanent; and therefore they esteemed death better than living 
always. 

Their aim was the attainment of absolute purity of the spirit 
and separation from the material, which in itself was defiling. 
They never spoke of worldly things before sunrise ; but they ad- 
dressed their prayers towards the rising sun as the emblem of 
Divine Light. 

Next to their honor of God, they reverenced the name of 
their legislator which was never revealed. Blasphemy was pun- 
ished with death, and any one caught in heinous sin was cast out 
of the society. But, being bound by the oath of the order, such 
a one was not at liberty to eat food prepared by people of other 
sects, and had to eat raw vegetables. 

In their courts of justice no sentence could be passed by less 
than one hundred ; but once determined by that number the sen- 
tence or rule was unalterable. They obeyed elders and the 
majority ; and if ten were together, one could not speak if the 
nine objected to his doing so. 


tME ESSENES AND THE SABBATH. 275 

According to their lav/ every one who joined the Essene sect 
shared his property with the order; so that there was one patri- 
mony among them. Stewards were appointed to take charge of 
their common affairs, but were not allowed to do any separate 
business for individuals. Out of the common fund, they enter- 
tained strangers, nursed the sick and tended the aged, and were 
charitable to all who were in need. But no one was allowed to 
use the common fund for his own kindred without the curators. 

They avoided large cities as centres ®f immorality, and settled 
chiefly in villages. At the same time they had houses in most of 
the cities of Palestine and especially in Jerusalem, where one of 
the city gates was named the Gate of the Essenes. In every city 
there was one of this sect appointed especially to take care of 
strangers, and to provide all necessaries for them. Any Essenes 
who came from another place were welcome to the use of every- 
thing just as if they owned it; and they entered the homes of 
those of their own sect as if they had long been acquainted, even 
if they had never met before. Therefore the Essenes had no 
need to carry with them baggage nor provisions ; but every one 
of them carried weapons for defence against robbers who might 
think that they had money, and against personal enemies and 
enemies of their order. 

The Essenes did not sell to, nor buy of each other, but gave 
each other what was needed. They vv^ere not opposed to mar- 
riage which they held to be necessary for the perpetuation of the 
human race, but they guarded against lascivious behavior. Their 
marital relations were hygienic, and demonstrated that they mar° 
ried only for the sake of posterity. Some of the order did not 
marry, esteeming continence and conquest over passion as an es- 
sential virtue. But they adopted other people^s children who 
were pliable and fit for training; formed their manners, educated 
them and treated them as their own. They kept no servants, but 
ministered to each other, and appointed such as were good men 
and competent to be their priests or elders. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


The Essenes were eminent for peace and for fidelity. Their 
word was to be more binding than even an oath, and swearing 
was avoided because they held that one wlio could not be 
believed without swearing by God, was already condemned. 
But particular exceptions for solemn causes and necessary oc- 
casions were allowed; for they were obliged to take a solemn 
oath before they could be finally admitted into the order. The 
nature of this oath was : a promise to exercise piety towards 
God, justice towards men, to do no harm to any one either of 
one’s own accord or by the command of others. Always to hate 
wickedness, and to be assistant to righteousness and justice. 
Ever to show fidelity to all men, especially to the authorities or 
government. Further, they vowed never to abuse authority if 
they should ever be put in authority, nor to outslune their sub- 
jects in worldly display. To be perpetually lovers of truth, and 
to reprove those that told lies. To keep their hands free from 
theft and their souls from unlawful gain. To remember justice 
in anger, and to restrain all their ‘passions. 

They vowed not to conceal anything from their own sect, 
nor to discover any of their secret doctrines to others, not even 
at the hazard of life. Also not to communicate the doctrines in 
any other form, but as they themselves had received them ; 
neither adding nor diminishing. To preserve the books belong- 
ing to their sect and the names of the Angels, their legislators 
and elders. 

Admission to the sect of Essenes was granted to adults only, 
and that after a novitiate of three years. On entering, the novice 
was prescribed the same manner of living for a year and received 
’ a spade, an apron and a white garment, while he continued 
secluded. If during the year he gave evidence of being able to 
observe their continence, the novice was admitted to the lustra- 
tions at the end of the year, and entered the second grade. But 
not till the end of three years probation, was the novice admitted 
to full membership of the fourth grade, when he took the oath of 


THE ESSENES AND THE SABBATH. 277 

fidelity to the Order, and for the first time was admitted to the 
meal in common ; which was the only sacrifice acknowledged by 
the Essenes. The meals of the order were preceded by a bath 
and the putting on of the sacred white dress of linen. They as- 
sembled in the dining hall where they quietly seated themselves; 
and food was placed before each of them. One of their elders 
said grace before and after meals, and they praised God. After 
meals they laid aside the special white garment and went about 
their different labors. They abstained from luxuries, and there 
was never any gluttony in food or drink. 

Personal cleanliness and purity was indispensible, and they 
always wore white garments at home and abroad; as a symbol 
of the purity to which they strove to attain. No clamor or dis- 
turbance was allowed in their dwellings or assemblies, but each 
spoke in turn. This silence and peace in their houses appeared 
like a tremendous mystery to the Jews who, as a rule, all talked 
together and raised their voices as they proceeded. 

The Order was divided into four classes ; and so inferior were 
the juniors to the seniors, that if an Essene of a higher grade 
came in contact with one of lower grade, it necessitated the lus- 
tration of a bath as much as the touch of those who were not of 
their sect. 

The Essenes took great pains to study the writings of the 
ancients, as also natural history, for the purpose of ascertain- 
ing the remedial and medicinal qualities of herbs, roots, min- 
erals and stones. The Jewish rabbis who were ignorant of the 
science of medicine, classed it among other forbidden heathen 
learning; and ascribed the successful cures effected by the Es- 
senes, to a power of magic obtained through study of the secret 
writings of that sect. As the rabbis pretended to make cures by 
amulets, exorcisms, charms and invocations, with absurd formulas; 
all of which being pronounced in loud pompous tones, and with 
as much publicity as possible, they could not understand why the 
Essene physicians took the sick apart, stopped all noise, and 


278 


lESAT NASSAR. 


spoke to the patients in low, soothing tones and quietly gave 
directions for their treatment. So they accused the Essenes of 
“whispering magical formulas” to, or over their patients. 

Prohibition of research was always the great weapon of attack 
and defence of ecclesiastical Judaism. The rabbis therefore 
bitterly denounced the “ Sepharim Khitsonim,” writings of the 
Outsiders; and threatened to exclude from eternal life, all Jews 
wlio studied them. In his Antiquities, Josephus relates that, “ God 
had enabled King Solomon to learn that skill which expels 
demons ; a science useful and sanative to man. That Solomon 
had composed effectual incantations and manners of exorcisms 
which were still in great force as methods of cure in his day; and 
that he, Josephus himself, had seen Rabbi Eleazar release people 
that were demoniacal in the presence of Vespasian, his sons, his 
captains and the whole multitude of his soldiers. Eleazar took 
a root recommended by King Solomon, with a ring, and put the 
same to the nostrils of the sick man, and thus drew the demon 
out of him. The patient fell down immediately, while Eleazar 
made frequent mention of the name of Solomon and recited the 
incantations which that wise King had left as a legacy to his 
people. The demon was abjured not to return, and to upset a 
basin of water set there for the purpose, as a token of his 
obedience ; which feat the demon accomplished forthwith. 
Thus, adds Josephus, was the wisdom, and skill, and vastness of 
King Solomon’s abilities very manifestly proved to the spec- 
tators, who became convinced of the virtues of this extraordinary 
King and how he was beloved of God. Ecclesiastical Judaism 
attributed all cures, which those of their own order could not 
effect, to power derived from the Evil One. But at the same 
time the rabbis knew it to be politic to permit their people to 
apply for healing to Outsiders. Consequently, at such times 
they cautioned their co-religionists, and supplied them with 
amulets and charms to protect them against being led astray by 
any heretical influences of such agents of the Evil One. 


THE ESSENES AND THE SABBATH. 2jg 

There was therefore, important fundamental religious differ- 
ence between Essenism and Judaism in essential doctrines and 
practices. But there was at the same time, a strong link between 
them in the Essene observance of the Sabbath, which was so 
strict that it was an exaggeration even of Judaic enslavement to 
that day. Besides all labor supposed to be prohibited to Jews 
by the Mosaic Law, there were endless definitions of forbidden 
labor added by the rabbis ; founded on what they defined as the 
Oral Law. It was forbidden to do anything on the Sabbath for 
the purpose of a cure. To lay on a plaster or wipe a wound 
was a grievous sin, but the plaster might be worn to keep a 
wound from getting worse, though not to heal it. Bones might 
not be set nor emetics given, nor any medical nor surgical opera- 
tions performed. A laxative drink might be taken on the Sab- 
bath, if done for pleasure ; but if for healing, it was forbidden. 
To carry a burden out of the dwelling desecrated the Sabbath, 
and the standard of a burden was the weight of a dried fig. 
Therefore, artificial teeth might not be worn, as they might fall 
out, and the wearer lift or carry them. But narrow streets and 
blind alleys could be transformed into private dwellings for the 
Sabbath ; by laying a beam across the entrance of such streets or 
alleys, or by extending a rope or wire along them. Thus, every- 
thing that was lawful within a man’s private dwelling, could also 
be done on those premises. 

Women were forbidden to look into a mirror on the Sabbath, 
because they might perceive a gray hair and try to pull it out ; 
which would be a grievous sin. To cut the nails or hair 
involved mortal sin. It was allowed to spit into a cloth ; but 
doubtfully lawful to spit on the ground and rub with the foot, 
lest thereby the earth be scratched. It was permitted, however, 
to spit on stones. It was not lawful to kill vermin or to wash 
children. Hands daubed with dirt could be wiped on a tail of a 
cow or on the mane of a horse, but not on clean cloth ; so as 
not to occasion its washing. To anoint or wash the dead without 


280 


lESAT NASSAU. 


moving the limbs was allowed ; but it was unlawful to close the 
eyes of the dead on the Sabbath. Warm water might not be 
poured on cold ; and it was forbidden to pour hot water over 
one’s self, for fear of cleansing the floor thereby. 

No lamps or fires were to be lighted or fed; but if a Gentile 
performed this or any other kind of labor, it was lawful to make 
use of his services ; because the prohibition of the fourth com- 
mandment was interpreted to mean, that Jewish servants only 
were to abstain from labor; and the uncircumcised should work 
on the Sabbath day. Clothes were not to be dried by the hot air 
from a fire. At any rate care was to be taken that the neighbors 
did not see it. 

If a wall fell on a person on the Sabbath day, and it was 
doubtful whether he was a Jew or a Gentile, it was lawful to clear 
away sufficient of the debris to ascertain. Any thing by which 
the ground could be benefitted, was forbidden ; therefore it was 
unlawful to water it or to sweep it. To pluck ears of wheat and 
rub them in the hand for the purpose of removing the husks, con- 
stituted at least two sins ; each of which involved punishment 
and a sin offering. If a woman rolled grains of wheat in her hand 
to remove the husks, it was counted as labor of sifting, if she 
rubbed the ears, it was threshing; if she bruised them, it was 
grinding; and throwing them up with the hand, was winnowing. 
But if a man needed to move a whole sheaf of wheat, he could 
lay a spoon upon it and thus lawfully carry the sheaf on which it 
lay, because he could use a spoon for eating on Saturday. 

It was lawful to borrow wine, oil or bread, and to leave a gar- 
ment in^pledge ; but not to express the request in such a manner 
as to imply that it was a loan. 

It was lawful to absolve from vows on the Sabbath day. 
Hundreds of such definitions of labor, forbidden to be done on 
the Sabbath day, were made by the Jewish ecclesiastics. They 
defined such laws, and the penalty for breaking them^ as ‘‘ mak- 
ing the Sabbath a delight,” 


THE ESSENES AND THE SABBATH. 


2S1 - 


The seventh day was held sacred by Egyptians, Arabians, 
Greeks, Romans and Assyrians. The Babylonians kept the 
seventh, fourteenth, twenty first and twenty-eighth days of every 
month as sacred. The Chaldeans named the weekly day of 
rest Sabbatu, and held it to be unlawful to cook food, change 
one’s dress, or offer a sacrifice on that day. Further, the king 
was not to speak in public, ride in a chariot, or do any kind of 
civil or military duty. He was even forbidden to take medicine 
on that day, and cures were not allowed on the Sabbath by the 
Assyrians. 

See Appendix corresponding chap. XX. 

Note. — Khitsonim may mean writings of the enemies — sonim, or of idolators, from 
the Arabic, sanam, idol. 


282 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XXI. 


THE GREAT PHYSICIAN. 

When they realized that Jesus was not to be won over so as 
to enable them to reproduce the Shekhenah at Jerusalem, Caia- 
phas and Eleazar became so angry that they advised that Jesus 
be put to death as speedily as possible for their own safety. But 
Annas and Ben Parachai counselled patience. 

For, said Annas, we may yet perchance learn this secret of 
Jesus by some other means. He will not be content to keep 
silence but will teach the people, and we may find some righteous 
son of Judah who, for the glory of Israel, will become his dis- 
ciple in order to search out this secret. Therefore let us wait 
and see what he will do, that we may judge how best to take 
him. 

So the confederates agreed that the advice of Annas was good, 
and concluded to abide by it. 

Jesus also took counsel with his Mother, his disciples and 
kinsmen in regard to the best means whereby the masses of the 
people might be benefitted physically and morally. 

With the Jews, alms and righteousness had become synonom- 
ous terms. To give alms was to be righteous. Judaism taught 
that the giving of alms made atonement for sin and delivered 
from death, and that if a man was covetous and gave no alms, he 
was punished when he died by his soul passing into a woman. 

The eve of holy days, Fridays and funerals were occasions on 
which the giving of alms possessed special meritorious power. 
But it was the giver whose prospects of eternal life were bene- 
fitted. The recipient was presumably poor, therefore despicable. 
Such doctrines necessarily called into existence and multiplied a 
class of paupers and professional beggars who were too lazy to 
work, and preferred to become atoning mediums by receiving 


THE GREAT PHYSICIAN. 


283 


alms. A disabled or diseased member of a family, far from be- 
ing a burden, became rather a source of revenue. The blind^ 
lame, deformed and diseased begged in the streets, at the entrances 
of public buildings and places of worship, and the palaces of the 
wealthy. They sat along the highways, as did also the lepers, 
who exhibited their horrible sores to excite the sympathy of the 
passers by. Rags, tatters and filth covered that class of the 
populace. 

The entrances to the palace Grapte as also of Helena’s 
palace, were constantly beseiged by crowds of such mendicants, 
and the regular supply of alms by the owners of these residences, 
created an ever increasing demand from the beggars. Following 
the example of her parents, the Lady Marya and Jesus Nassar 
had always devoted a third of their income to charity. But the 
mendicants only increased in numbers and importunities, in sloth, 
squalor and sycophancy. 

Thus generations were born, lived, thrived and died in im- 
morality, laziness and wastefulness. Men, women and children 
sat around in the pleasant sunshine, gossiping, slandering and 
cursing the rich ; retailing news and picking the abundant ver- 
min off each other, when not begging or whining out blessings 
on the passer-by who gave them alms. When food was dis- 
tributed among these beggars, they ate to satiety if it was savory, 
and threw the rest away ; knowing full well that their demands 
would be supplied whenever they were hungry enough to eat. 
When clean clothing was given them, they sold or pawned it, and 
for a few days avoided the residence of the donor, if fearing to 
be indentified as the recipients of said garments. 

For family use and for that of the household, the eastern 
Aryan and Arabian nobles always erected one or two bath houses, 
near their palaces or houses. The bath house was generally situ- 
ated apart from the main building; sometimes in the garden, and 
was surrounded by trees. In size and architecture the bath house 
corresponded with the requirements and wealth of the owners. A 


284 lESAT NASSAR. 

large pool or tank or cistern, beside or under the bath house, 
supplied it with water collected from the rain and brought through 
conduits. 

Besides the bath house for the use of the family, a commodi- 
ous one had been erected on the grounds of the palace Grapte 
for the accommodation of the household; and over the pool 
which supplied the water, stood a building with cloistered arches 
opening into a square stone paved court. During their absence, 
the steward of the household of the Lady Mary a and Jesus Nas- 
sar distributed supplies of money, food and clothing to the poor 
with the same regularity as at the time of their residence in Jeru- 
salem. 

But now the Lady Marya ana Jesus, who at this time 
was famed for his medical skill, agreed to organize a charity that 
should confer lasting benefit to the deserving poor, and decrease 
professional pauperism, by restoring the sick to health, free of 
charge. As the majority of ailments and sickness peculiar to that 
country, were greatly alleviated, and many entirely cured by 
mostly judicious treatment of warm baths and massage with olive 
oil, the large bath house with the adjoining cloistered building 
over the pool were set apart as a hospital, free to all who should 
apply. A competent staff of Essene physicians, some of whom 
were his disciples were appointed to treat the patients. From 
the pharmacy of this hospital, medicine was dispensed free of 
charge to those who applied for healing. 

Whenever the Lord Jesus was in the city, he spent many 
hours daily in the building; examining and prescribing for the 
sick, and superintending the general work of the physicians. Per- 
fect wisdom and skill and sympathetic discrimination were exer- 
cised in the details of treating temporary ailments, as well as 
complicated diseases ; and with the healing of the material body, 
did the Lord, with loving tact combine instruction and comfort 
for mind and spirit. There was no known disease or sickness 
which the Lord gould not cure^ if the patients faithfully followed 


TilE GREAT PHYSFCiAN. ^85 

out his instructions and took the treatment he prescribed. In the 
Orient when life is apparently extinct, the body is prepared for 
burial without delay. In many such cases the Lord Jesus resus- 
citated and restored to perfect health persons who had been pro- 
nounced dead by other physicians, and were already prepared 
for burial. 

A physician who could and did heal all kinks of diseases, and 
spent his life and wealth freely in ministering to the sick and 
needy, comforting the sorrowful .and instructing the ignorant, 
must truly have been sent by God, said the people. Therefore 
crowds of the sick came and went continually, to and from the 
hospital on the grounds of the palace Grapte. 

The outdoor patients awaited their turns for consultation or 
.treatment in the open, tree-shaded court when it was summer, 
and were sheltered under the matted and warm-cloistered arches 
during the cool or rainy weather. A white robed messenger 
came out to summon them into the presence of the physician, or 
for treatment with warm baths and oil massage. Thus the ad- 
joining pool became distinguished from the others by the name 
Pool of Beth Zaitha or House of Oiling. 

This hospital became a means of sifting the chaif from the 
wheat. Those of the honest, industrious working class who 
could not pay for medical treatment, gratefully availed them- 
selves of the benefits to be derived from it, while the professional 
poor, to whom disease and deformity were means of profitable 
permanent revenue, avoided the premises. 

The Lord Jesus visited all the villages and towns bf Judea, 
healing the sick, instructing the ignorant and teaching the true 
meaning of a Kingdom of God to ail who would listen. A band 
of his disciples always accompanied him with the personal attend- 
ants and retainers suitable to his rank as prince, and his useful- 
ness as the most skilful and famous physician of that age. 

The science of medicine was at that time in a fairly advanced 
state. All known diseases had been classified and their symptoins 


286 


IESAT nassar. 


described in medical treatises, and medical mixtures were pre- 
scribed and compounded very much as in modern times. But 
medical science was invaded with superstition; for, in place of 
trying the doctor’s prescription, the patient was allowed to try a 
charm or exorcism if he preferred it. Even genuine and skilled 
physicians humored and fostered the ignorance and superstitions 
of the people and preserved to themselves a reputation for pos- 
sessing supernatural powers, by supplying their patients with 
charms and exorcisms whereby they might be healed or ward off 
disease (Sayce). 

But the Lord Jesus set his face against all such practices. 
He said : If thou believest that I can cure thee, thou must obey 
me and thou shalt be healed. He knew what treatment was 
needed, and the patients did not. 

In striking and noble contrast to the people who received 
every benefit as though entitled to all that Jesus could give them, 
stood the Roman centurion, product of an intelligent civilization 
which respected the rights of others. He was an officer in com- 
mand; but Jesus being of royal descent, he said: I am not 
worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof. This officer 
understood that obedience was indispensable to success in all 
professions which made civilized life possible, and added : But 
only say the word — prescribe the treatment — and my servant 
shall be healed. For I am an officer and know how to obey 
implicitly as well as to command. 

But even imposing facts cannot eradicate superstitious cred- 
ulity, fot after being entirely cured of even malignant diseases 
without charm or exorcism, the people would frequently beg the 
Lord Jesus to give them some talisman against a recurrence of 
the evil. ^ 

With infinite patience did the Lord at such times teach the 
people how to ward off sickness, warning the energetic and in- 
dustrious not to overtax their vital powers, but to go apart and 
rest a while sometimes. He bade the indolent exercise their 


THE GREAT PHYSICIAN. 2S7 

abilities, to go to work and not to stand idle in the market place ; 
he also taught the ascetic and glutton that moderation, and 
neither excess in indulgence nor severe abstinence, should govern 
their lives if they would preserve mental and physical vigor. 

Go and sin no more against your being, physical, mental or 
moral, lest the ailment from which you have recovered attack 
you in a worse form, having once made inroad into your consti- 
tution. Thus, before dismissing those whom he cured, did tlie 
Lord teach them that the only talisman against disease is intelli- 
gent care of the mind and bod” committed to our keeping by 
the All Father. 

Such methods of treatment and teaching created much stir 
among the laity. For ages, from generation to generation they 
had been taught that the priest physicians had a monopoly of 
healing by invocations, exorcisms, amulets, charms and other 
talismans. Also that they held such power by special license 
conferred upon them by God, and therefore must be regarded as 
a sacred and superior order of beings. 

But what a revolution of these so long accepted doctrines ! 
This Jesus Nassar is truly the Son of God! exclaimed many 
happy emancipated Jews, and not our cruel taskmasters the 
Pharisees, Scribes and doctors of the Law. For never in the 
history of Israel did our rulers care for our sorrows and sickness, 
except as a means of revenue to themselves. 

For the relief of the patients suddenly attacked oy sickness 
or accidents which might occur on the Sabbath, and for the poor, 
overburdened working people, who could not afford to lose a 
day’s labor to bring their sick to the hospital, a consulting 
physician was always accessible, and medicine was to be had at 
the Beth Zaitha on Sabbath days. 

One Sabbath, when Jesus was in Jerusalem, he visited the 
hospital as he was wont to do. Under the arches lay a sick 
Jew, wrapped in the large camel hair cloak, worn by the labor- 
ing classes of the country. Seeing that the man’s infirmity was 


288 lESAT nassar. 

of long standing, and that he lived in the city Jesus asked him, if 
he wished for medical treatment, why he had not come during 
the week; for the Lord taught the people that physicians needed 
to take rest from labor unless the case was urgent. 

Sir, answered the man without knowing that it was Jesus 
himself who spoke to him, I have come here often, but there is 
always so great a crowd on the week days, and they rush like a 
stream, and I cannot move without great difficulty. I have 
neither kin nor friends to help me. Therefore when the messen- 
ger of the Lord comes out to announce that there is room in the 
Beth Zaitha, there is always a number who are helped forward 
by their friends; and their places are filled before I can get even 
half way there. So I came on the Sabbath, hoping to be able to 
get easier access and admission for treatment. 

Arise and come with me, said Jesus as he carefully noted the 
man’s movements. Take up what is spread under thee, spoke 
the Lord again while he watched how alteration of position 
affected the man. Then taking him by the hand, Jesus led him 
into the hospital, prescribed the necessary treatment and went 
away. 

The man was soon restored to health and vigor,, and natur- 
ally talked of his cure and extolled the physician of Beth 
Zaitha above the rabbis who made a pretence of effecting miracu- 
lous cures according to the formulas prescribed by King 
Solomon. 

Such heresies soon reached the ears of the rabbis, who 
questioned the man and ascertained that he had been admitted 
into the hospital, and had been medically treated on the Sab- 
bath. This desecration of the day was an effective weapon by 
which to incite those of the Essenes who were not his disciples^ 
against Jesus. But as the man did not know the Lord person- 
ally, they bade him ascertain the name of the physician who had 
admitted and treated him on that Sabbath day. This soon 
happened, for, passing through the Court of the Gentiles, Jesus 


THE GREAT PHYSICIAN. 


289 

saw and recognized the man ; and in his usual kindly manner 
stayed to give him advice and to warn him not to abuse his 
restored health, lest a relapse should prove more incurable than 
the infirmity from which he had now recovered. 

The Pharisees, Scribes and rulers of the Jews became 
alarmed lest the world wide power which they had so long ex- 
ercised through the superstitious credulity of their dupes, should 
now be wrested from them by this Jesus Nassar. They there- 
fore set in motioix all methods of persecution of which they were 
capable, against the Lord, and hunted for his life. 

Jesus had desired to establish a college, where such as wished 
to do so, could study and acquire the physician’s wisdom and 
skill under his own supervision and instructions. Bet he found 
that it could not be done in Judea, because its people constantly 
exacted marvellous deeds as signs of divine authority ; and ex- 
pected him to endow and fill them with wisdom and skill by su- 
pernatural means, without any mental or physical exertion or 
labor of their own. They were willing to receive all his benefits 
as their due, but to study and labor with self denying persever- 
ence, in order to fit themselves to become simple physicians 
without any claim or pretence to possession of supernatural and 
magic powers was, by the Judeans, accounted very foolish and 
unnatural. 

Jesus Nassar also saw that the chief of his clan and kins- 
woman, Queen Helena, was deterred from joining his persecu- 
tors only because she feared him as a superior being endowed 
with supernatural power, who might perchance be the Great 
Deliverer that had been expected by all the nations of the world. 
But the Lord’s Godlike stand for the truth, his self denying love 
and labors, his justice, wisdom and skill, his zeal for the eleva- 
tion and welfare of the human race, and thereby the glory of the 
All Father, were matters far beyond the comprehension of 
Helena’s narrow mind, and entirely out of the range of the sym- 
pathies of her self centred, self righteous, pharisaical spirit. 

19 


290 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Therefore, although not diminishing any of his charities at 
Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus decided to found and establish a col- 
lege for physicians at Capernaum; where such an institution 
would be better appreciated by the Galileans. In this town, he 
and his kinsmen also owned so much property that it was famil- 
iarly known as his own city.” 

The Great Physician then was near, 

The sympathizing Jesus ; 

He lived their drooping hearts to cheer, 

They blessed the name of Jesus. 

Grandest note of Seraph song, 

Sweetest carol ever sung, 

Noblest name on mortal tongue, 

Jesus, blessed Jesus. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXI. Also pages 559, 

563- 

Some authorities read Bethesda, and others Beth-Zaitha. 
Note in revised version, John v., 2. 


JUDAS ISCARIOT. 


291 


CHAPTER XXII. 


JUDAS ISCARIOT. 

When the chief priests in Judea found that Jesus taught and 
cured the people of diseases, but made neither claim nor effort 
to rival them politically or ecclesiastically, they became greatly 
perplexed. Unselfish, or self-denying good deeds were entirely 
beyond their comprehension; for Judaism never failed to claim, 
expect and exact payment with enormous interest from Jehovah 
for all duties and charities performed by Israel. 

t herefore, in order to find out the aim of Jesus, they con- 
stantly sent subtle spies, who under the guise of inquirers after 
truth, tried to provoke him to speak of religious, social and 
political matters. These hoped to ascertain his object in confer- 
ring so many benefits without any ostensible profits to himself, 
d'hey also hoped at the same time to lead him to compromise 
himself sufficiently by the expression of his opinions to justify 
them in arresting him as an incitor to rebellion against religious 
and social laws and customs, or, if possible, to accuse him of 
teaching treason against Rome. This latter would be greatly 
preferred for two reasons. 

First, the reigning Caesar Tiberius, exercised the worst kind 
of tyranny at the time. His injustice and cruelties had not only 
filled the patricians of Rome with fear, but also terrified the dis- 
tant inhabitants of lands where Rome had sway. He was not 
only cruel, but also exceedingly deceitful,* and surrounded him- 
self with unscrupulous sycophants who pandered to his malignant 
nature. 

He lived on an island which was supplied with all imple- 
ments for luxury and enjoyment. He was inaccessible and was 
never seen by outsiders. But from this dreadful privacy he 
issued orders that displaced Eastern monarchs and doomed 


292 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Roman senators to death; perpetuated murders, imprisonments, 
confiscations and every species of suffering that could bow and 
break men’s hearts and minds beneath this invisible, but all- 
powerful oppressor. Therefore to accuse a man, no matter what 
his rank or character, of treason against, or even lack of loyalty 
to, Caesar, was to insure that man’s destruction. 

Secondly: if Jesus were put to death by the Romans, the 
Judean Chief Priests would avoid the danger of incurring a blood 
feud and the vengeance of the relations, retainers and disciples 
of Jesus, as well as the odium of having hunted down and mur- 
dered the holiest and kindest of men. 

But as the craftiest spies failed to interpret any of his answers 
or teachings as treasonable, the Chief Priests met in council to 
plot and plan some other means of entrapping Jesus. They 
prayed to their Deity to inspire them with some idea how best 
to succeed in their desires and designs. 

Their highest ideal of God was a bloodthirs’ty being who was 
entirely partial to Israel and rancorously malignant towards all 
who refused to be subservient to his chosen and beloved repre- 
sentatives, the Rabbis. It was but a natural result that they 
should feel themselves inspired with ideas that were in perfect 
harmony with their desires after their prayers. 

Annas was the first to give utterance to the movings of the 
spirit which the council had invoked. He said: ‘‘We need the 
advice of a disinterested, pious, simple-minded man like Simon 
Iscariot. Although, of course we could not confide to such a 
one in plain speech, that we seek the wisdom which shall restore 
the Shekhenah to us of Jerusalem.” 

Then spoke Eleazar : Blessed be the God of our fathers who 
revealeth his will to his chosen ones. Let us appoint Judas the 
son of Simon Iscariot to save Israel in this hour of need. Judas 
is an Ish Barri Totha, a man of the sons of Toth; learned in 
our holy religion, and a physician of some repute. Therefore let 


JUDAS ISCARIOT. 293 

US send him lo Egypt to search out the secrets which Jesus re- 
fuseth to reveal to us. 

Yea, said Caiaphas. Now I understand the holy oracle; for 
when I inquired of the Lord concerning this matter, the Bath Qol, 
voice from heaven, answered me, saying : This day shall Mes- 
siah Son of Joseph, my Righteous One, be revealed to Israel! 

Let Judas Iscariot be brought without delay, said Annas, 
with a glance of respectful admiration at Caiaphas; that we may 
make known to him the will of Jehovah concerning him. For 
as Joseph, the son of Jacob, was content to be sold as a slave in 
Egypt, that he might rise to the throne for the salvation of Israel 
and cause them to possess the Egyptians; so Judah, the Messi- 
anic son of Joseph, must now sojourn in Egypt among the heathen 
to gain such wisdom as shall profit us in this matter. Let him 
betake himself to Onion, where he must so adapt himself as to 
gain the confidence of our colleague, the High Priest or his 
minister; and search out the mystery of the Blessed Shekhenah. 
Thus will he prepare the way for Messiah, Son of David, who 
cannot come until Jerusalem be reconciled to the Lord. 

This secret council, composed only of the chiefs of the 
Sanhedrists, were so delighted that they sang a psalm in praise of 
the spirit they had invoked; while a messenger sought Judas 
Iscariot and brought him to their presence. 

They received and welcomed Judas with a show of deepest 
respect, and led him to the seat of honor in their midst. 

Not having ever received much superfluous attention from 
the haughty high priests, in or out of office, Judas was at a loss 
to account for the almost servile behaviour of these dignitaries. 

Annas, as the oldest of those who had filled the pontiff’s office, 
first addressed Judas with paternal and yet respectful tone and 
manner. 

Rabbi Yehuda, thou favored Son of Israel ! Knowest thou 
yet thy high mission, or hath the honor been laid upon us to re- 
veal it unto thee ? 


lESAT NASSAR. 


294 

Judas replied that he had no knowledge of any special service 
required of him. 

Then spake Caiaphas : The traditions of our fathers and the 
interpretations of our holy sages, have taught us that the taber- 
nacle of David which is fallen, will be raised up; and his 
Messianic Son will appear in an age when the holy law would be 
forgotten by those who studied it, the study of it decrease, the 
disciples of the sages be diminished, while general lawlessness 
and apostacy would greatly increase. 

And Galilee shall be wasted, but Judah shall possess the 
remnant of the Gentiles, added Eleazar impressively. 

If Israel were penitent but for one day, said Annas, Messiah 
Son of David would immediately appear ; for at this time there 
is no King in Israel ; according to the foreknowledge of our holy 
sages. But Messiah, Son of Joseph, cometh first. 

Judas, not knowing that this was an office newly created to 
insure his services, and supposing that it was some of the secret 
learning known only to the highest initiates, inquired : And when 
Messiah, Son of Joseph, cometh ; what will he do for our nation ? 

The members of the council waited for Caiaphas to answer ; 
because, being the High Priest at the time he was the medium of 
communication between Jehovah and Israel, whenever new 
revelations became necessary for their welfare or prosperity. 

He will be of service to Israel, as Joseph the son of Jacob 
was unto his brethern ; as it is written ; Is Ephraim my dear 
Son? replied Caiaphas. 

Then the High Priest proceeded to explain, and emphasized 
the points of similiarity. Joseph the son of Jacob was sold and 
resold as a slave, and dishonored by being put in prison in 
Egypt. But he worked his way till he became ruler of that land. 
Then did Joseph insure for himself and for his brethern with 
their descendants, the choicest lands of Egypt. 

Thus, continued Caiaphas, was Joseph the great pattern of 
Messiah Ephraim who is to be his son in spirit. Messiah, Son of 


JUDAS ISCARIOT. 


295 


• 

Joseph, was the man who should now go forth, ready and willing 
to suffer, if need be, in order to redeem Israel from the ascendancy 
of the Impious One, Jesus, who by his many sorceries was 
ensnaring their souls and greatly imperilling the hold that the 
Jews had secured on the important countries of Adiabene and 
Kharax, as well as on Parthia and Rome. 

But who among us is able to do the works which Jesus 
doeth ? asked Judas. 

The Messiah, Son of Joseph, of whom it was said by the 
prophets, that, ‘‘ the King of Egypt shall make peace with him 
For this cause we sought counsel of the Lord, who hath heard 
our cry and answered us, responded Annas. 

Caiaphas now rose, stretched out his arm, and pointing to 
Judas, exclaimed; Rightly art thou named Yehuda, the praised 
one of Jehovah. For thus saith the God of Israel unto thee: 

Ephraim Messiah, Son of Joseph, my Righteous One, thou hast 
already taken this upon thee before the six days of the world. 
Now, thy anguish shall be like my anguish; for I swear by my 
life and by the life of thy head, that I have not sat down upon 
my throne since Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked one, destroyed my 
house and burned my Sanctuary, and I sent my children into 
captivity among the children of the Gentiles.” 

Judas Iscariot grew pale and trembled. He, like his father, 
was sincerely devoted to the creed of Judaism, and believed that 
the High Priests and favored rabbis had personal conversations 
with Jehovah on matters that concerned the welfare of any 
Israelite; and especially of the whole nation. Judas had been 
an industrious student of medicine, and was very learned in the 
religious laws of the Jews. He had an excellent memory to re- 
tain whatever he learned from books, lectures, or from practical 
demonstrations of science by others. But he was not gifted with 
originality nor with spiritual discernment ; and never understood 
hidden meaning in speech or writing unless it was pointed out; 
and then he accepted the explanation without ever doubting its 


296 


lESAT NASSAR. 


accuracy, or suspecting any self-interest in the interpreter for such 
explanation of the subject. He also believed that all other rab- 
bis were as honest in their piety as he was himself. But with all 
his simplicity, he had a latent ambition to bring about the 
supremacy of Judaism and Israel throughout the world. 

Although the Chief Priests would have preferred for their 
tool a man of acute penetration and inventive genius, they also 
took into consideration that such a one would not be easily per- 
suaded nor continue to work their will with unquestioning obedi- 
ence. And so they concluded that Judas would be more reliable. 

They anxiously awaited his reply to the address made by 
Caiaphas; but as Judas, overcome by surprise, continued speech- 
less, Annas broke the silence by saying ; Oh Ephraim, the 
Messiah, our Righteousness ! Though we are thy Fathers, yet 
thou art better than we; for thou hast chosen to bear all the sins 
of our sons ; and hard and evil measure is thus passed upon thee 
as upon Joseph of old; a portion of whose spirit migrated into, 
and germinated in thee. Speak therefore! Is it thy pleasure 
that our sons should enjoy the good things which God has 
created for, and promised to, Israel.” 

In his highest ambition, the imagination of Judas had never 
painted any scene like this, and as soon as he had somewhat re- 
covered from his amazement, he replied in tones that trembled 
with emotion. I know that I am not worthy. But if you, the 
Fathers of the world, say that the Holy One, Blessed be He, 
hath called me to bear anguish like unto His own anguish for the 
children of Israel, I am silenced ; for it is enough honor for the 
servant that he be as his master.” 

Then said the assembled Rabbis: ‘‘Ephraim Messiah, our 
Righteousness! be thou reconciled to us; because in obeying 
the voice of the Lord through the mouth of his High Priest, thou 
hast reconciled thy Maker unto us.” 

Judas answered : “Fathers of the world; whatever I have 
done or will do, is done only for your sakes and for the sakes of 


JUDAS ISCARIOT. 


597 


your children; that they may enjoy the goodness which the Holy 
One hath displayed to Israel.’' Now therefore, how shall I ac- 
complish this holy mission committed unto me ? 

Then Annas proceeded to inform Judas that Jesus effected 
his wonderful cures, led astray Jews and Gentiles, and blinded 
the eyes of Queen Helena to his sorceries, through the power of 
the Shem, Name, which he had learned in Egypt. For this 
reason was he to go to Egypt for a while and learn how to effect 
miracles on sick people, first from the heathen physicians. But 
all this knowledge was to be used for one single purpose, that of 
turning the people back to the doctrines of the rabbis and rulers 
of Israel. 

Because, said Eleazar, God will send great heat from the 
sun, and will afflict the people with burning fevers and violent 
diseases.” 

J udas remarked that the sun threw out great heat every sum- 
mer, and that the people suffered from those afflictions every year. 
And, he added, the most renowned physicians among the 
heathen are not able to perform such wonderful cures as this 
Jesus Nassar. 

I will answer thee, exclaimed Caiaphas. Messiah, Son of 
David, cannot be manifested until the dominion of the Impious 
One be extended over the world for nine months. But as soon 
as Messiah, Son of Joseph is manifested it will be different ; for 
then the diseases will kill off the Gentiles and the impious of 
Israel. So will the nations become frightened and ashamed, and 
will acknowledge all these signs to be for the sake of Israel, and 
many of them will privately become Jews. 

Annas added that the magical cures of Jesus were permitted 
in order that the faith of Israel might be tried to ascertain 
whether they would allow themselves to be snared away from 
Jehovah. 

But if such be the purpose of the Holy One, wherefore 
should I defile myself among the heathen ? asked Judas. 


2gS 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Those initiated rabbis, who intuitively understoocieach others 
designs, felt provoked at tlie obtnsreness of Judas; but Caiaphas 
undertook to explain further as plainly as he dared to do without 
putting himself in the power of any one present who might prove 
faithless in future. He said : Because, even as the Holy One 
hath spoken unto the children of Israel by the mouth of his 
High Priests and his Prophets ever since the world began, so 
will he work these signs through his chosen Messiah Ephraim 
the Righteous One, by means of a bloody dew which the nations 
will suppose to be water, and drinking it will die. The impious 
in Israel will also drink and die. But for those that are neither 
pious nor impious, there will be a salubrious dew ; that they may 
be cured of the diseases caused by the bloody dew. Thus shall 
the Holy One exalt Messiah, son of Joseph, before the nations of 
the world and before the wicked Persians ; for thou shalt be their 
judge, and shalt do to them what thy soul desires.” 

And when the Holy One shall reveal to thee this dew, thou 
shalt depart from among the heathen and go even unto Onion ; 
where thou wilt tarry awhile among the priests of the God of 
Israel, said Annas. 

Caiaphas continued the instructions thus introduced by his 
father-in-law. And since a man must accommodate himself to 
the place where he is, and thy labors and anguish shall be for the 
cause of Israel and the glory of the Sanctuary, thou shalt take 
that which is needful from the treasury of the Temple. For 
with discretion and in secret, and with wisdom must thou search 
out the earthly body here below, by which means the Holy One 
manifests his Blessed Shekhenah from above. When thou hast 
found it, thou shalt receive it as a sign that the God of Israel 
had forgiven our backslidings and our sins, and will restore his 
Presence to Jerusalem, through the Righteousness of Messiah, 
Son of Joseph. 

Eleazar who began to doubt whether Judas, when he became 
possessed of such important secrets would exercise his powers 


JUDAS ISCARIOT. 299 

for their profit, could not resist putting the question to him in a 
pious form. 

But, perhaps on account of the labor and anguish thou will 
suffer for us and on account of our children. Oh Messiah, Son of 
Joseph, thou wilt not give these good things to Israel ? 

Have I not said, replied Judas who was now quite enthusias- 
tic, that whatever I do, it will be for the children of Israel, that 
they may enjoy the goodness of the Lord, But what shall be 
the sign of the time of manifestation of King Messiah, Son of 
David, and how shall the people of the Jews profit thereby. 

Caiaphas, who by tacit consent was the prophet of the occa- 
sion, replied : In the year when King Messiah shall be revealed, 
all the Gentiles shall rise up against each other ; and the only differ- 
ence between the present time and that time, is, that in Messianic 
times all the Gentile nations will be subdued and ruled by the 
Jews. 

And thus Judas Iscariot, a man sincerely zealous for the ad- 
vancement of the doctrines which he had blindly received and 
believed to be the will of the Supreme Being, was persuaded to 
do evil that good might come to Israel. 

As Judas would be engaged in the service of Israel, the 
Council determined that all expenses incurred in furtherance of 
his mission should be defrayed out of the Temple treasury. 
They calculated the probable cost and set apart thirty bags of 
silver, thirty thousand shekels. After this, they made arrange- 
ments for the immediate departure of Judas to the scene of his 
researches ; also for secret, rapid and continuous correspondence 
with him. 

The council of chief priests and rabbis closed that session 
with a benediction and a psalm of thanksgiving; and feeling well 
satisfied with the result of their labors, they congratulated each 
other on their zeal for the glory of the Name of the Deity of 
Israel. 


300 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Sowing the seed of a lingering pain, 
Sowing the seed of a maddened brain ; 
Sowing the seed of a tarnished name, 
Sowing the seed of eternal shame. 
Gathered in Time or Eternity, 

Ah ! what will the harvest be ? 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXII. Also page 544. 


THE FOAL OF AN ASS. 


301 


l 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


THE FOAL OF AN ASS. 

After Judas Iscariot had gone to Egypt, and it began to be 
rumored that Jesus would establish a college at Capernaum 
for the training of* competent physicians under his own supervi- 
sion and instructions, Annas, Eleazar and Caiaphas with the chief 
rabbis became much alarmed. Therefore the chief of the initiates 
among the Sanhedrim counseled with each other, and called a 
select council to consider ways and means. One of the old 
Rabbis said: Since this Jesus can perform more wonderful cures 
than any of the heathen physicians, wherein will the learning of 
Judas profit us if the disciples should be taught all the secrets 
known unto Jesus. 

And so long as the Queen Helena is not in our power that we 
may force her to work our will, we shall not be able to destroy 
Jesus; nor to withstand^the power of his influence and doctrines, 
added Annas. 

Yea, replied Caiaphas, for I perceive that she halteth be- 
tween two opinions ; whether Israel be the Only Son of God and 
his Anointed to rule the nations, or whether this Jesus Nassar 
her kinsman, be the great Deliverer expected by the Gentiles^ 

But said Ben Parakhai, what need have the Gentiles of a de- 
liverer? They have kings, they have lands, they have nobles, 
they have glory, they have riches. It is Israel, alas ! who, lack- 
ing these things, now needs a Messiah that will deliver all this 
glory of the Gentiles unto us for an everlasting inheritance which 
shall not be cut off. 

For this very reason must Messiah be manifested and suffer in 
every age for the sins of that generation ; that these goodly pos- 
sessions may continue to be enjoyed by Israel, responded Cai- 
aphas. 


302 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Then said Eleazar: Thou O High Priest, hast uttered the 
will of Jehovah; for so often as there be rebels born to the Gen- 
tiles, to set themselves against the Lord and against his Anointed 
Israel, so often must a Messiah arise to subdue them again unto 
us. But this Jesus Nassar is the most dangerous power that has 
yet withstood us ; as 1 will prove if you will but hearken attent- 
ively unto me. 

The members of the council signified their eagerness to hear 
what information he had to impart. 

Ye know, began Eleazar, that among ourselves, the true sig- 
nification of Yisroel,” Israel, is : For the sake of God.’^ Also, 
that this plea hath been our most effective weapon whereby to 
mold the Gentile to our will, and is the lever by which we still 
move the world ; by which we vanquish them who dare to oppose 
us, by which we reign supreme and are almighty. This plea, so 
simple, pious and natural, has enabled our race from the time that 
our father Jacob adopted it, not only to preserve its* creed, but 
also to accomplish the miracle of its existence and prosperity 
among the nations in succeeding ages; while others were wiped 
out of remembrance. Even so doth the poor man soften the 
heart of the rich, the weak arouse the pity of the strong, the 
lowly secure the protection of the noble, the guilty disarm the 
anger of the accuser that is mighty, and the accused find mercy 
with the magistrate by an appeal to the religious sentiment, say- 
ing : I beseech you for the sake of God.” 

The chief rabbis smiled as they nodded approvingly, while 
Eleazar continued : By the wisdom of such principles did I cul- 
tivate the acquaintance of the Greek philosopher Didymus, and 
of the Egyptian physician Imhotep Bar Ptolomy; the initiated 
disciples of Jesus Nassar. Yesterday I chanced to meet them 
alone without their master, in the Court of the Gentiles, and 
entered into conversation to lead them to speak of the manifesta- 
tion of the Blessed Shekhenah in Egypt. I trusted to find op- 


THE FOAL OF AN ASS. 303 

portunity to persuade or provoke, and later to goad them on to 
betray how the secret is performed. 

I enquired of them the reason for their having become dis- 
ciples of Jesus Nassar and their great reverence for him; since 
they shared his wisdom and skill. But for answer, they ques- 
tioned me about our reasons for expecting a Messiah. To this I 
replied, that we needed one to restore unto us the Kingdom and 
glory of our ancestors, as in the days of our Kings David and 
Solomon. 

Then said the Egyptian : Our ancestors expected a Deliverer, 
and we follow Jesus Nassar because we are convinced that he is 
the Great One, who was to come. 

But what need have you Gentiles of a deliverer ? I asked. 
Since you have kings and nobles, lands, power and wealth, 
armies, navies, great skill in all arts, and the knowledge of all magic. 
From what then shall this Great Deliverer, whom the Gentiles ex- 
pect, deliver them ? And this question, continued Eleazar, I 
asked with the contempt it stirred within me. 

Ah my Son ! interrupted Annas with great delight, truly the 
prophet spake for thee when he said : He hath made my mouth 
like a sharp sword and like a polished shaft.” 

Eleazar looked somewhat disconcerted, much to the suprise 
of the auditors ; one of whom hastened to exclaim, I know that 
the heathens had nothing to answer to such a puzzler ! 

Eleazar continued : The Greek, who hath the form of one of 
their stone idols which are so much admired, stood leaning lazily 
against a pillar. As I looked at him to answer, he raised his 
white hand, for he is passing fair, and passed it through his golden 
brown locks; and opening wide his blue eyes which sometimes 
flash so strangely, he said to me in a gentle tone : Sir, do you be- 
lieve that the prophecies of your ancestor Isaac, concerning your 
father Jacob, were in accordance with the foreknowledge and 
plans of your Deity ? 

Yea verily ! such is our religion, I replied. 


3^4 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Well, continued the Greek in the same polished tones, your 
ancestor foretold that Jacob would be the lord, and Esau with 
his brethren, servants unto him. These of course, you and I 
know to mean the different nations of the Gentiles. 

Alas ! exclaimed Ben Parakhai, which son of perdition is it 
who betrayed this interpretation unto the heathen ? 

However, answered Eleasar, I judged that it would be vain 
to attempt to deny this to the subtle Greek, and replied, that 
the holy mission of Israel was to make the nations servants of 
Jehovah. 

Since you claim to be his chosen representatives and agents 
in this world, replied the Greek, it means the same thing. 

When the heathen speak thus against Jehovah and his 
Anointed, we must wail with the prophet and say : ‘-For thy 
sake. Oh Lord, are we killed all the daylong!’’ exclaimed Rabbi 
Shilah with tremulous unction. 

I pray you hear me to the end, said Eleazar, impatiently for 
that is worse yet. This Greek persecutor had thus far preserved 
his usual calm, superior, philosophical manner ; as though he 
cared naught for either side and spoke only for the love of ar- 
gument. But now he suddenly stretched himself up to his full 
height, and terrible lightning that made my heart to quake flashed 
from his eyes as he said : 

It is from the bondage of your teachings that we Gentiles 
need a great Deliverer; and He is our Lord and Master, Jesus 
Nassar. Of this also did your ancestor Isaac foretell when he 
said to Esau : And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt break 
loose, that thou shall shake his yoke from off thy neck.” And 
this our age, Oh, Rabbi Eleazar, is the beginning of the end. 

Annas trembled with anger as he spoke in reply : Ah, is it 
thus that they conspire against us, while they say : Let us 
break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us.” 
But we can laugh and hold them in derision ; for others tried to 
shake off our yoke and failed miserably. Esau proposed to 


THE FOAL OF AN ASS. 


305 

wait until his father died to kill Jacob, forgetting that meanwhile 
Jacob could beget children to carry out his mission. Pharaoh 
proposed to kill the male children, forgetting that there were fe- 
males in Israel. Haman warned his people against the whole 
nation, and, therefore, perished with all his sons. And now, this 
Jesus Nassar wiih this Greek philosopher deny the visible mani- 
festation of the blessed Shekhenah to be of divine origin. And 
if the people should believe them this would undermine the 
whole fabric of our holy religion. Therefore, this Jesus and his 
disciples must perish. 

Besides, said Eleazar, this Greek said that Jesus was the true 
Light of God who would lead men to the All Father. But when 
I sarcastically asked him who that being might be, he gravely 
replied that he pitied us greatly, because our moral and spiritual 
nature had, through the centuries, become so deadened by our 
silly claim to a monopoly of kinship with the Creator, as to render 
our spiritual intelligence practically nil. And he continued that 
the proof of this was that we could not comprehend the father' 
hood of the Invisible Supreme towards all his creation, nor his 
love for all. 

We need no further witness, said Caiaphas, for we perceive 
plainly that if we do not prevent him, this Jesus will deprive 
ecclesiastical Israel of its rights as a communicating and atoning 
medium between Jehovah and the people. 

The members of the council expressed their unqualified ap- 
proval, and Ben Parakhai exclaimed : But who sliall to-day de- 
clare unto us the name of the Messiah for this hour of need. 

Rabbi Shilah answered : His name shall be Shiloh. A mes- 
senger, as also one who strips others, from the Arabic ‘^Shilah” 
to strip. 

And he shall strip them of the power to harm us, spoke up 
Caiaphas. Even as it is written : Let the saints bind their 
kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute 
upon them the judgments.” Therefore I search, and it is given 

20 


3o6 


lESAT NASSAU. 


me to see and understand that there shall come with Anami of 
Heaven (Annas of the High Priests) one like unto a Son of Man 
(a Jew) and there shall be given to him dominion and glory and 
a kingdom. 

That can only be Eleazar; who, by good counsel and deeds, 
hath alway labored for the glory of the Sanctuary and the priests 
of Jehovah, said Ben Parakhai, earnestly. 

But, answered Eleazar, wherein hath it profited me ? I have 
labored in vain and spent my strength for naught, and men de • 
spise me and the nation abhoreth me; for they rejoiced when I 
was deprived of the High Priest’s office. But the Lord is my 
judge, and will recompense me, seeing that I was zealous for the 
honor of his name. 

Yea verily, said Caiaphas; the laity is stiffnecked, and go 
astray after the ensnarers who speak kindly unto them; and 
therefore we cannot afford to wait for the time when the salvation 
of Israel will be brought about by the united repentance or 
righteousness of the people. But thus said the Lord unto thee. 
Oh Eleazar ! Is it a light thing that thou shouldst raise up the 
tribes of Jacob, and restore the preserved of Israel ? Behold 
thou art my servant in whom I will be glorified ; and thou shalt 
be for a light to the Gentiles. 

Ben Parakhai now felt that, since it had been his lot tx) point 
out Eleazar’s qualifications to be a Shiloh Messiah, he was 
morally responsible for any harm that might happen to him in 
the enterprise. So he inquired anxiously : 

But what should a man do to be freed from the sorrows of the 
Messiah Shiloh ? 

By busying himself with the study of the Torah, Scriptures, 
and good works, replied Eleazar. 

And you Oh Eleazar, are a master of the Torah, and full of 
good works, said Rabbi Shilah. 

By which, have two things been revealed unto me as neces- 
sary to accomplish for our salvation, replied Eleazar with a 


THE FOAL OF AN ASS. 


307 


Sinister smile. The first of these is, that a man learned in the laws 
of Moses, be sent into Galilee to stir up the Essenes and 
proselytes against Jesus Nassar, as one who transgresseth the 
Sabbath. If this be done wisely, it will come to pass that when 
Jesus shall proceed to establish his doctrines by means of a 
college for physicians among his own people, his own will not 
receive him, because they observe the Sabbath even more strictly 
than we wlio are of Judah’s race. The second is, that final and 
lasting victory over Jesus can come to us, only by putting a 
bridle on the ass and holding a rod over the fool’s back, as it is 
written : A bridle for the ass and a rod for the fool’s back. Thus 
will we enlighten the Gentiles to walk in the right paths. 

But how shall we bridle the Queen Helena, or what rod can 
we hold over her foal, the King Izates, who is weak of will and 
would not slay his brethern to ensure himself against the chances 
of their conspiring to dethrone him. Besides, there is the danger 
of their both becoming ensnared by the sorceries of Jesus to ac- 
cept him as the Expected Deliverer of the Assyrians. I fear 
they will never be persuaded to deliver Jesus into our hands, to 
deal with him according to our holy law ; and we cannot en- 
tangle him in treason, because in word and deed he is loyal to 
the government of Caesar. And as he said this, Annas shook his 
head and sighed despondently. 

AVe must persuade King Izates to become circumcised, with- 
out the knowledge of the Queen Helena ; who hath hitherto 
prevented him from entering the covenant of Abraham through 
fear of the consequences. If circumcised, Izates will be obliged 
to employ eunuchs who are Jews, as attendants and officers of 
his body guard. These will exercise the proper influence over 
him, and also keep us acquainted with his innermost secrets. 
The King will never dare to disobey nor to dismiss them, because 
Gentile eunuchs would betray to their fellow subjects the fact that 
their monarch had become a Jew, and Izates would certainly be 
dethroned or slain unless we came to his rescue with our support 

' i f 


3o8 


lESAT NASSAR. 


and influence. If we only can persuade Izates^ the Queen 
Helena will no longer dare to thwart nor rebuke us, nor to pro- 
tect Jesus Nassar ; for she will not sactifice her favorite son nor 
lose the kingdom for his sake. Thus will she be bridled and 
walk obediently in the way we shall lead her. 

As it is written, said Rabbi Shilah, I will cause thee to ride 
upon the high places of the earth, and their kings shall minister 
unto thee. 

Then the council invested Eleazar with full authority to ac- 
complish the work that he proposed, and with full liberty to act 
according to his own judgment in the name of the highest court 
of the Sanhedrim of Israel. 

The High Priest also blessed him, and said : When thou. Oh 
Eleazar, the Messiah Shiloh, shalt accomplish this thing, the 
promise made through the prophet unto Jerusalem will be ful- 
filled, as it is written : Rejoice Oh daughter of Zion! behold thy 
King cometh unto thee; just, and having saved the victory unto 
thee ; lowly, and riding upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of 
an ass. 

Lo ! they were treated as the brutes. 

Like none of human birth ; 

Not only by the great reviled, 

But made the rabble’s mirth. 

Such were the foes of Christ, by whom 
Jerusalem was trod ; 

And such the proselytes who sought 
The face of Jacob’s God. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXIII. Also pages 542, 
544, 560-567. 


COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. 


309 


(• 

CHAPTER XXIV. 


COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. 

The district round the Sea of Galilee was very populous. 
This lake was fringed by towns and villas, trees and wheatfields; 
and the water was covered by hundreds of sailing ships and boats 
carrying freight across it, or engaged in fishing. On account of 
the robber bands that infested the country, these vessels were so 
fitted up, that they might undertake a sea fight. 

Capernaum, was one of the maritime cities situated on the 
north of the western shore of the I.ake. It extended along the 
beach and contained some handsome buildings, residences of the 
Assyrian nobles, who owned the fishing and ship building indus- 
tries of that region. These palaces were adorned with sculptures 
of the sun aud four wheeled chariots, indicative of the rank and 
religion of the owners. 

The community of Jews at Capernaum at that time, must 
have been very poor, and probably also small ; since their syna- 
gogue was built by the charity of the Roman Centurion. 

Westwards from the town, along the shore, was the great 
fountain of Capernaum, mentioned by Josephus as watering the 
plain of Genesseret or Gardens of the Princes. The bay there 
was half a mile across. 

The extreme heat of the marshy plain and beach were apt to 
cause a prevalence of fever in summer; and it was at Capernaum 
that the Lord Jesus cured the centurion’s son and Peter’s wife’s 
mother of fever. 

About two miles north of Capernaum, and on rising ground, 
stood Corazin or Karazeh. Its history has been lost, but to 
judge by its name, it was a settlement of schools or colleges, a 
suburb and natural annex of the prosperous maritime city. The 
Essenes always erected their institutions for study outside of busy 


310 


lESAT NASSAR. 


towns, to avoid the distractions caused by the bustle of trade and 
commerce. The Arabic word Karazeh signifies a place for study, 
lectures, teachings, volumes or writings for instructions. 

Not far away from Capernaum rose Bethsaida,the native town 
of Peter, Andrew, and Philip the Evangelist. That portion of 
the beach curved gracefully round a pretty little cove. The bay 
was admirably suited for boats; it shelved gradually, the anchor- 
age was good, and boats could be safely beached. The water 
there was deep and almost free from boulders, until near the 
south-west end. -But the people who owned the coast, thought 
more about building palaces on the shore than removing rocks 
from the water, and therefore used only natural harbors. 

Lady Salome, the sister of Youseph Pandar and aunt of Jesus 
Nassar, had married a man of her own clan and an Essene by 
creed. He was both wealthy and influential, of the Zebedee 
(first most excellent). Their two sons, James and John, were at 
this time in partnership with their father. The brothers Peter 
and Andrew, of the same clan and creed, were related and con- 
nected by marriage with the Lady Marya. 

The Lord Jesus and his cousins owned much property here, 
and controlled a considerable part of the fishing and ship building 
industries of that region. Therefore Jesus established a college 
of physicians at Karazeh, where medical instruction, free of 
charge, was afforded to all who desired to receive it. This insti- 
tution was soon in perfect working order, and its halls were filled 
with students during the lectures and practical demonstrations. 
Here the Lord Jesus was instructor and physician-in-cfiief, with 
his disciple friends, Didymus and Bar Ptolomy as principal as- 
sistants. 

The cousins, Peter, James and John, no longer devoted their 
energies solely to commercial interests, but put able and faithful 
employees in charge of the business, while they spent the neces- 
sary portion of time in the study of medicine. They had learned 
of Jesus, and becoming imbued with his spirit, also desired to 


COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. 


311 

bless their fellow men by bearing to them the good tidings of the 
Gospel of Jesus. This they could more effectually accomplish 
as skillful physicians which would give them opportunities to 
speak the word in season to their patients and their relatives and 
friends. 

There were many called, and began the study with enthusiasm. 
But when they discovered, that in order to become such physi- 
cians as the Great Master, they were required to labor regularly 
and honestly, with loving interest in the work, and to persevere in 
spite of all difficulties, the majority were disappointed and grew 
tired of disinterested philanthropy. 

The fables of miracles and magic, with which the religions 
of that age were more or less garnished, had clouded the natural 
intelligence of the human race. Men, who by chance or study, 
had discovered the means whereby they could perform startling 
tricks or produce unusual phenomena, represented themselves as 
specially comrrfissioned ambassadors of God. These sleight of 
hand tricks, or scientific phenomena, they gravely asserted to be 
divine credentials of authority, and claimed to be endowed with 
supernatural power to work so called miracles or magic. 

When the college was opened to the public, men came from 
far and near, to see and to learn. They expected that Jesus 
would initiate them into the secret of miracles and magic, and 
endow them with the abitity to perform wonderful cures. Such 
power, they had always been taught to believe was supernatural; 
either of divine or devilish agency, and entirely independent of 
the workings of natural laws. 

This mischievous superstition, imposed upon the masses by 
the miracle-mongers of the ages, was the great obstruction in the 
way of the Gospel of Jesus. The chief priests used it with great 
effect against his teachings. , They themselves demanded, and 
incited the people to require some miracle to be wrought by 
word or gesture, as a credential of the divine authority of his 
mission. 


312 


lESAT NASSAR. 


To the hypocrites and miracle-mongers, the Lord said: This 
evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, but no sign 
shall be given it. But he labored to teach the masses, that what 
they believed to be miraculous power, was the natural workings 
of the laws whereby God sustained the universe. Jesus assured 
them that he had worked diligently to learn those laws. He said : 
My Father worketh even until now, and I work. The Son can 
do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing. For 
what things soever the Father doeth, these also doeth the Son in 
liie manner. 

From time immemorial, mid wives in the orient had a general 
knowledge of simple medicinal herbs, and were also skilled in 
massage treatment. Jesus recognized woman’s right position as 
man’s indispensible assistant in the work of the wo; Id. Conse- 
quently he instituted a department where women could obtain a 
larger knowledge of medicine and wider experience in treating 
diseases. • 

Among others who availed themselves of such opportunity, 
were some wealthy women whom Jesus had cured^ and these good 
^and noble women devoted not only their time but also their 
substance to the work of caring for the sick and spreading the 
gospel of the Kingdom. 

The Lord periodically visited all the towns and villages of 
Galilee, Phoenica and Syria; healing and teaching everywhere. 
Men and women who had become his disciples and resolved to 
devote their lives to the same work as their Master, accompanied 
him on these circuits. In this manner they had the best training, 
opportunity to note various symptoms and phases of all diseases 
in different conditions of life, the necessary treatment for the 
sick, and, quite as important, how to adapt their ministrations to 
the circumstances of the patients. In after times the medical 
skill of these disciples was recognized as having been learned of 
Jesus. 

When the students had taken the prescribed course and passed 


COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. 313 

examination, Jesus gave them the authority, diplomas, which en- 
titled them to practice as qualified physicians. 

All Jewish theologians and priests charged fees for any opin- 
ion given by themselves. When a Jew, whether male or female, 
asked of a rabbi a question concerning religion or its duties, he 
or she was obliged to pay for the answer. The rule was : No 
information given unless paid for. I his system caused much 
haggling and bargaining; the rabbis being determined to exto t 
as much as possible, and applicants equally resolved not to pay 
too dear for the oracle which might turn out to be of less value 
than expected ; for payment was made in advance. It was the 
same with their medical advice, whether the rabbi resorted to 
King Solomon’s magical formulas or other methods of treatment. 
Besides which, the rabbis kept secret among their own order, 
what little knowledge they possessed of medicine, as well as the 
origin and true object and aim of their theology. 

But the Lord Jesus forbid his disciples to walk in the ways 
of the rabbis. He bade them follow the example which he him- 
self had set them : Freely ye have received, freely give. Even 
as he had freely taught them all things, so they were to withhold 
noticing in theology or science as too sacred to be trusted to the 
masses. 

Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip of Bethsaida, James 
Clopas, Matthew, Simon and Thaddeus, these nine kinsmen of 
Jesus were men of good social standing, and were possessed of 
property and business interests. They were of Aryan race and 
of the Essene sect. These, with Didymus the" Greek, Bar Ptol- 
omy the Egyptian, and Philip the Ethiopian, afterwards known 
as the Deacon, the Lord chose to be his apostles whose first mis- 
sion should be the rescue of those of their own nationalities who 
had become proselytes to Judaism. 

When they accompanied Jesus on his circuit, their mission 
had been to Jews and Gentiles alike ; irrespective of creed or 
race or residence, But now the Lord sent them on a specird 


314 


lESAT NASSAR. 


mission to their own people. He therefore bade them not to 
burden themselves with carrying either food or raiment, especially 
as the Essenes had a house of hospitality for their people in every 
city and village ; where they, as Essenes had the right to expect 
welcome and entertainment, seeing that they contributed to the 
support of such establishments. Moreover in such places they 
could more easily find out and reach the proselytes of the place. 
But each of the apostles he bade carry a staff, a weapon of de- 
fence, and warned them not to take up their abode in any house 
whose inmates might be hostile to their mission. Especially did 
the Lord caution these apostles to beware of the snares of the 
chief priests and rulers who would employ all means that craft 
and ingenuity could furnish, to persecute them even to death. 

Poison, as well as calumny and treachery, was one of the ef- 
fective means, whereby miracle-working priests and prophets 
brought about the fulfilment of their denunciations against those 
who opposed them. Superstitious individuals were led to work 
their will by being made to believe that they were the predes- 
tined instruments of the Diety to punish those who opposed his 
chosen representatives ; as in the case of Elisha and Hazael the 
messenger of Benhadad, King of Syria 2. Kings VIII. Jesus, 
therefore, armed his disciples against all deadly drugs which, in 
spite of all precautions, might be drunk by them. He made 
known to them the antidotes for all poisons. 

On this special mission, the Lord forbade the apostles to visit 
any towns whose population was purely Gentile or Samaritan, 
those whose inhabitants did not hold the Jewish creed. He had 
visited all such on his circuits with the apostles. Jesus now 
yearned for those who had become proselytes to Judaism; those 
poor lost sheep who nominally were of the House of Israel, but 
lost soul and body for here and hereafter. Lost to race, kindred 
and country, lost to natural duty and affection, lost from the 
dear All-Father’s house, to feed on husks. 

For these lost sheep, did the loving heart of Jesus sorrow. 


COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. 315 

He knew that each of these, if rescued from the great error and 
freed from the bondage of corruption, would become a mighty 
apostle to warn others against being taken in the same snare, and 
to spread the good tidings sent by the All-Father. 

Each apostle was accompanied by a student as assistant, 
even as the apostles had accompanied Jesus, and also for the 
purposes of companionship, experience, and mutual protection. 
Thus equipped, that noble band departed; going their several 
ways, preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere. 

But the chief priests and rulers had not been passive during 
the years thus spent by Jesus. With wrath and apprehension, 
they had witnessed how Jews and Gentiles learned of Jesus and 
freed themselves from the bondage of their yoke. Their power, 
prestige and profits were in imminent danger of passing away 
from them altogether. Consequently they communicated and 
took counsel with their colleagues throughout the world, who, 
like themselves, were desperately opposed to losing the hitherto 
very profitable occupation of making theology for the world at 
large. 

As a result, delegates were sent from every country where 
Jews had taken up their abode; and a deputation was sent to 
Queen Helena. These requested that as chiefs of the clan and 
his lawful sovereigns, the Queen and her son should withdraw their 
protection from Jesus Nassar, and give him up to the chief priests 
that they might deal with him as a renegade Jew, according to 
their law. In return for this, the deputation promised that orders 
would be sent to the Jews throughout the world to support by 
every means in their power. King Izates on the throne of Adia- 
bene. 

Queen Helena had not yet altogether lost natural affection 
and respect for her own rank, kindred, race and country. She 
was also proud of the great wisdom and skill of Jesus, and tried 
to evade their demands by questioning their wisdom in desiring 
to have punishment inflicted on him. 


3i6 


lESAT NASSAR. 


But the rabbis threatened that if she did not accede to their 
demands, they would withdraw the support of their co-religionists 
from King Izates, and expose him to be judged by his Gentile 
subjects as a renegade to the religion of his ancestors, and a traitor 
to his people. Helena knew that their subjects were already dis- 
contented on account of the extraordinary privileges conferred on 
the Jewish community in Adiabene. She also felt convinced that 
if the fact of Izates’ formal adoption of Judaism, by circumcision, 
became known, he would sooner or later be dethroned. Thus 
coerced, the Queen submitted to the orders of the rabbis and 
granted them the required permission verbally. 

But the Essenes were well organized, and were regularly in- 
formed of the conspiracies and movements of the rabbis. Among 
the Essenes, Jesus had faithful friends and disciples who warned 
him of all that had happened. 

At this time, the Apostles returned from their travels; filled 
with grateful gladness at the success of their mission. 

In the wilderness astray 

In the lonely waste they roam. 

Hungry, fainting by the way, 

Far from refuge, shelter, home. 

Bid the Saviour’s flock rejoice, 

Gather them from every land, 

As the people of his choice. 

Plucked from the destroyer’s hands. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXIV. Also pages 531, 

542, 549-556> 559- 


MOSES AND ELIJAH. 


3^7 


CHAPTER XXV. 


MOSE3 AND ELIJAH. 

When Peter, James and John, with Didymus and Bar 
Ptolomy, the most faithful and trusted ones learned that Queen 
Helena had given the Judeans permission to arrest Jesus as a 
renegade Jew who had led Israel astray, they were much troubled 
and prayed the Lord to go to Egypt, where he would be beyond 
the jurisdiction of Helena and of her task masters, the Judean 
chief priests, until that foolish Queen could be brought to listen 
to reason by her kinsfolk and clan. 

As Bar Ptolomy and Didymus resolved to accompany the 
Great Master, Jesus provided that the work of the college should 
be carried on during his absence, under the supervision of Peter, 
James and John, who now were fully qualified to take charge. 

But the Lord saw that these three, although the most faithful, 
intelligent and intellectual of his apostle kinsmen, were ns yet 
spiritually heavy with the sleep which was caused by superstitious 
reverence for the miracle-mongers of preceding ages ; who, by 
the production of certain phenomena not familiar to the masses, 
had obtained supremacy and swayed their dupes to commit the 
most atrocious deeds in the name of religious duty. 

As he was about to be parted from them for an indefinite 
period, and perhaps be murdered by those who, he knew wouM 
never cease to hunt for his life, the Lord Jesus resolved to 
provide that these three, being the most fitted to receive such 
knowledge, should not in the future be deceived and led astray 
by teachers and guides who would offer seeming miracles, as cre- 
dentials of Divine authority for themselves. 

The summit of Mount Hermon, more than nine thousand 
feet above the level of the sea, is a comparatively level plateau, 
having three slight eminences several hundred yards from each 


lESAT NAS^ATL. 


3^8 

Other. On the peak farthest to the west and to the south of the 
ancient temple, with its entrance to the east, was the laboratory; 
a rectangular building whose limestone walls were two and a 
half feet thick, cut out of the rock in the lower portion and at 
one side. 

Imhotep Bar Ptolomy, the Egyptian, and Didymus the 
Greek, had been the Lord’s fellow students, and with him 
initiates of all the mysteries of science known in the laboratories 
of the universities of Alexandria and of the Egyptian priesthood. 
These two often resorted to the laboratory on Mount Hermon 
with Jesus, to continue their researches into the workings of nat- 
ural laws, and to make such experiments as could not be effected 
with safety or convenience in the neighborhood of towns and 
villages. 

To this laboratory therefore, went Didymus and Bar Ptolomy 
to get all things in readiness; while Jesus followed with Peter, 
James and John. 

These three had already, during their medical studies, learned 
to distil inflammable essences from grapes, figs and other fruits 
with which that country abounded. Now it was demonstrated 
to them ; how a light car attached to a large bag of silken ma- 
terial, could be made to soar aloft by means of a fire fed with 
such essences. 

But when Peter, James and John saw the bag gradually be- 
come inflated, and, when loosed from its moorings rise and soar 
away, they exclaimed in unison : The chariot of Elijah and the 
horsemen thereof! 

Then Didymus, the philosopher, argued logically with them; 
for they were as yet uncertain in their minds, whether Elijah had 
used the same means as they had witnessed, or had a similar 
chariot miraculously provided for his journey skyward. 

Didymus convinced them that if Elijah had not previously 
made experiments with such floating car in presence of his dis- 
ciples, sons of prophets,’^ and also fallen during one of his 


MOSES and ELIJAH. 


319 

flights, those students would not have urged Elisha to send a 
strong force of men to seek for Elijah, saying . The spirit (wind) 
hath peradventure taken him up and cast him upon some 
mountain, or in some valley. 

But how did that prophet cause the fire that consumed the 
sacrifice which had been saturated with water? inquired Peter. 

It was not water, replied Didymus, but this same colorless 
essence distilled from the grapes and figs; of which he had pre- 
pared an abundant supply in the caves of Mount Carmel where 
he so long made his abode. His disciples knew what to bring 
when he bade them pour barrels of water over the sacrifice on 
the altar, and into the trench around. In this they laid a train 
of powdered sulphur believed to be common dust by the specta- 
tors, who never were permitted to approach within investigating 
distance by the miracle-mongers of any age. Then while 
with upraised hands, Elijah was apparently invoking the aid of 
his Deity, the assistants concentrated the rays of the sun upon 
the inflamable sulphur and the miracle of fire falling from heaven 
was performed. 

Didymus and Bar Ptolomy had errected a small altar near 
the laboratory, with all necessary accessories ; and now proceeded 
to demonstrate what had been explained. 

After this, James and John said : Lord, wilt thou also teach 
us how Elijah brought down fire from above to destroy the two 
captains of fifties with their men ? 

Then the Lord bade Didymus and Bar Ptolomy, who pre- 
pared the explosive projectiles, to throw them down among a 
small grove of trees somewhat below the height on which they 
stood. As these struck the ground or trees, the missile exploded, 
broke and tore up the trees and earth, while stones and branches 
were scattered far and wide. Thus a scene of verdant life and 
beauty was quickly transformed unto one of death and ruin. 

Though they witnessed and learned how to perform these 
wonderful deeds, Peter, James and John were filled with amaze- 


lESAT NASSAR. 


326 

ment and awe when the two men talked with Jesus and explained, 
while i" was being performed, how Moses had produced the light 
whx’i had the appearance of a cloud of glory in the tabernacle’ 
an I which the children of Israel were taught to believe was the 
visible manifestation of their Deity, and named Shekbintah or 
Shekhetnah.* As they stood in the white light and heard a voice 
which they could not locate, they almost doubted the evidence 
of their own senses. Eut Jesus bade them not to fear, while he 
instructed them in the mysteries of the perfect workings of God’s 
1 iws in nature ; from the smallest atom of dust to the mighty life 
and light giving sun, fit emblem of the Eternal. 

Finally, Peter, James and John were taught that the explosive 
substances which they had learned to manufacture, would not only 
represent fire from above to the ignorant masses, but also earth- 
quakes from beneath. 

A quantity of explosive substance was placed under a portion 
of ground that had been undermined. A train of powdered 
sulphur connecting with the explosives, was laid along the 
ground to a distance from whence the demonstrators could wit- 
ness the eruption with perfect safety. This sulphur was not dis- 
tinguishable from the dust and stones on the ground along which 
it was strewn. It was then fired at their end; the flame burned 
white and ran unnoticed along the ground in the sunlight until it 
reached the explosives; when a mighty detonation was heard, 
the ground cleaved asunder, while the rocks and shrubs on its 
surface were swallowed in the hole thus made. 

Then spake Imhotep: In this manner did Moses destroy the 
company of Korah, composed of men of renown among the 
congregation, because they objected to the claims of Moses, that 
he was the special medium of communication between the Deity 
and the people of Israel. They had declared that the whole 
congregation had equal right to approach their God; but Moses 
having deceived them in the matter of the visible manifestation 


* Shekhetnah or Shekhatnah in Arabic and Aramaic means our chieftainess, 


MOSES AND ELIJAH. 32 1 

of the Glory, feared the exposure, and thus ensured himself 
against further interfence by Korah and his company. 

When Bar Ptolomy had done speaking, Peter said to Jesus : 
Lord, wherefore shouldst thou depart ? It is good for us to be 
here, and if thou wilt permit it, I will build three departments • 
one where thou wilt teach the truth by lectures on these things 
to the people, another for Bar Ptolomy, who, by experiments 
shall demonstrate to the multitudes how Moses performed his 
wonders, and the third for Didymus, who will show men how to 
do the deeds of Elijah. Thus will the people come after us ; 
and the chief priests and rulers will fear to molest us. 

But Jesus answered him that the time was not yet; seeing 
that the people at large were as yet dead to the desire for re- 
search after scientific truth. They would only accept these 
phenomena as signs of supernatural agencies, and become eager 
to pay them and the locality divine honors, rather than labor 
to understand what they were taught. 

Then the Lord explained to them that he had not come like 
the miracle-mongers before him, thieves and robbers,” who 
gained fame and power, authority and wealth, under the pre- 
tence of being the ambassadors of God. They robbed the people 
of their right to learn to understand the great power and wisdom 
of God through the harmonious workings of His laws in nature. 
The Lord warned Peter, James and John not to tell that 
they possessed the knowledge and ability to do those things 
which they had been taught on the mountain. For if the chief 
priests of the Jews knew that they could perform such wonders, 
they would demand of the Apostles that they enter into partner- 
ship with them to deceive the people for gain. The apostles 
declared unanimously that they would refuse to become partners 
to perpetrate such a fraud. But the Master pointed out to them 
that if they refused, they would be persecuted and killed. And 
he advised them to wait until the spirit of inquiry after truth 
should come into the world, and the son of man — or mankind in 

21 


322 


lESAT NASSAR, 


general — be raised from the death of ignorance, of faith in 
miracles as divine credentials, and of dependence on the efficacy 
of atoning sacrifices by blood. 

Finally, the Lord promised these his trusted ones, that if he 
escaped the snares of the Judean priests he would return to them, 
but if they should slay him, he warned these apostles not to be 
deceived and entrapped by rumors that he had appeared else- 
where. He said : For there shall arise false Christs and false 
prophets, and shall show signs and wonders that thereby they 
may lead astray. And many shall stumble and shall deliver up 
one another and shall hate one another. But take ye heed, 
behold I have told you all things beforehand. Therefore, if any 
man will say unto you : Lo here is Christ ! or, Lo there ! believe 
him not. If they say : Behold he is in the wilderness ! go not 
forth ; or. Behold he is in the inner chambers ! believe them not. 
For thus will they lie in wait to entrap you, that they may have 
opportunity to kill you. 

And now, as they parted with the two men Didymus and 
Imhotep who were to go on before to make ready for the depart- 
ure of Jesus, were the spiritual eyes of Peter, James and John 
opened, and they saw that ‘‘no man save Jesus only,’^ had ever 
been the true and faithful messenger of God who should make 
Him manifest to mankind. And in spirit, and in intellect they 
distinctly heard the voice of the All Father, say; This is my 
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased ; therefore hear ye him. 

Jesus only ! Let all visions, with their glories pass away. 

Vanish all the- lights elysian, ’t is enough that Jesus stay, 

When we leave the heights of Hermon ; for earth’s valleys dim and cold; 

’Mid life’s toil, and care and labor ; 

Only Jesus can uphold. 

Jesus only ! Jesus only ! can our inmost souls now say ; 

Jesus only, Jesus only ! ’t is enough if Jesus stay. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXV. Also page of 
same, 622. 


ATTEMPT TO SEIZE JESUS. — MARTHA AND MARY. 


323 


CHAPTER XXVI. 


ATTEMPT TO SEIZE JESUS. — MARTHA AND MARY. 

Jesus returned from Mount Hermon to Capernaum, thence 
to cross to the east shore of the Lake where he could travel south- 
wards with greater safety. 

But the emissaries of the Judean chief priests were already 
lying in wait for him in the town ; and made an attempt to seize 
Jesus as he was leaving the college. As usual there was a num- 
ber of people with him; some of whom had come for medical 
advice and others to hear his gracious words of instructions. 

I he brave Galileans aside from their respect and affection for 
the Great Master whose every word and deed was a benefit to 
mankind, resented any interference of the Judeans with their 
fellow citizens ; and were ready to fight against the infringements 
of their rights by the aggressive encroachments of the Judean 
priesthood. 

The disputants were soon surrounded by a large crowd which 
contributed adherents to each side. 

Jesus found that the emissaries with their sympathizers, in- 
sisted in carrying out their illegal attempt to seize him. As this 
w'ould culminate in a bloody fight, he calmed his warm hearted 
defenders by reminding them that their duty, in this case, was to 
appeal for the protection of their rights to the authorized officers 
of the law of the land. Then he ordered some of his disciples to 
summon the Roman authorities. 

But the Jews of Capernaum, who had sided with the Judean 
emissaries, said : Nay, but we also will summon the Centurion 
who will see that justice is done to Israel ; for he loveih our 
nation and hath built us a synagoge 

The messengers ran with all speed, and after a short space of 
time the ensigns of the Roman eagles were seen advancing, born 


324 


lESAT NASSAR. 


aloft : followed by the Centurion and his company of Rome’s 
disciplined troops. 

The crowd was promptly and quickly dispersed, and the 
emissaries were sternly rebuked by the Centurion for their illegal 
attempt to seize any man within the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, 
and without warrant from his government. They were also 
warned not to disturb the peace again by stirring up the people 
to riot. 

The Centurion with his soldiers then conducted Jesus and his 
people safely to Capernaum, where they boarded a Roman 
government boat, and were conveyed in safety to the opposite 
shore. 

The emissaries knowing that they had no charges against 
Jesus which could procure them a warrant for his arrest from the 
government of Herod Antipas, returned to the Pharisees and 
chief priests in Judea. 


Jesus and his most trusted disciples remained beyond Jordan 
in the territory of Philip the Tetrarch, teaching and healing. 
When they heard that Queen Helena had again veered round in 
her opinion concerning Jesus, they concluded that they could 
venture into Judea. Crossing the Jordan, they journeyed towards 
Bethany, and soon arrived at the Essene Madyafy which ad- 
joined the house of Martha, the sister of Mary. She welcomed 
Jesus and his disciples, and then hurried to call Mary to attend to 
the company, while she herself should look after the preparation 
of a dinner for them. 

. Oh sister Mary, exclaimed Martha breathlessly, whom dost 
thou think that I saw in the Madyafy? Why it was the blessed 
Master himself with several of the brethren. He asked after 
thee, and said he was coming up hither. He is still in the 
Madyafy where thou wilt see that he and the brethren get rested 
and get some refreshments. While thou entertainest them I shall 
have time to look after the preparation of a good dinner, for they 
must needs be quite hungry as well as weary. So make all the 
haste thou canst, sister, for the Lord looked weary. I have 


ATTEMPT _TO SEIZE JESUS. 


324a 


already sent to buy the best meats that can be found in the 
market. 

With these words Martha hurried out, and Mary also started 
to greet Jesus and his disciples in the guest chamber of the 
Madyafy. 

When the immediate wants of the guests had been supplied, 
and they had rested themselves awhile, Mary came and sat down 
at Jesus’ feet, and asked him questions as she had often done 
before about the difference between the precepts which their own 
elders, and also the Jewish priests had laid down and attributed 
to Jehovah, and the laws of humanity which the All Father has 
implanted in the hearts of men. 

She listened eagerly to the explanations given by the Lord, 
and vowed that she would devote her whole life in communica- 
ting to others the truths that were instilled into her own spirit. 

Judas, who was one of the party, did not approve of a woman 
being initiated into the mysteries of religion. What if all women 
were to become like Mary, he said to himself. What will then 
become of our holy priesthood ? They will then tell their hus- 
bands that they have souls just as good as theirs, that the 
Almighty created them the equal of man, and that therefore they 
also could understand the mysteries of the 'Forah. And if the 
women should begin to think and reason for themselves, instead 
of obediently and unquestioningly remaining in their subordinate 
position, the rule of priesthood, which is the atoning medium be- 
tween Jehovah and the laity, will be in danger. We had enough 
of Anna, the prophetess, and we need no more women teachers. 

Thus reasoned Judas to himself, and he rackefl his brain to 
devise some means to put a stop to the discussion, at least tem- 
porarily. He could not openly object to the teachings of the 
man whom the assembled company acknowledged as Master. So 
he quietly stole out of the room, and hurried to the kitchen, 
where Martha was in the midst of her work. 

Friend Martha, heremarked in an insinuating tone. You must 
feel very tired attending to the wants of the Master and ourselves. 
You certainly should have som.e more assistance. There is Mary 
your sister, who instead of helping you and easing your burdens, 
is wearying the Master and spending her time in asking unneces- 
sary questions. She should leave those things to the men who 
are able to grasp the mysteries of religion, and come and help in 
the work for which God so fitted women. Let the Master get a 


lESAT NASSAR. 


324^ 

little rest from constant teaching, for he must be weary in answer- 
ing all her innumerable questions. It is better that you call her 
away on some pretext as though you needed her. 

But how can I call her away, replied Martha. It would be 
discourteous, since it is her work to attend to the company when 
our people visit us. You, Oh Judas, have been brought up with 
very different ideas of the position and duties of women, and you 
cannot understand us fully yet, even though you are now an 
Essene. 

However Martha feared that perhaps, in her gladness at 
again seeing and hearing Jesus, and in her anxiety to learn more, 
Mary might lose sight of the fact that the Master could be wearied 
of constant teaching. So she went straight into the guest 
chamber. 

Lord, said she, bid my sister that she help me. 

Jesus had divined what it was that had prompted Martha to 
speak thus. Martha, Martha, he replied : Didst thou not con- 
fess to me this day that thou believest that I am the Son of God 
that should come into the world ? And dost thou not think that 
I know at what time I am to reveal the will and wisdom of my 
Father to His children ? — Gentle, hospitable Martha, thou art 
careful and troubled about many things. Thou art anxious to 
provide for our material wants and comforts. But that is not 
enough for thine own spirit, inasmuch as man cannot live by 
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth 
of God, and I am come to reveal my Father to the woman as 
well as to the man. 

Whenever the Father is made manifest in the spirit to man it 
were wrong to interfere with the manifestation. M ary thy sister, 
hath already chosen that good part to which thou wilt yet attain, 
and it shall not be taken away from her. Nay, but I will de- 
velop her spirit still further, and when I am parted from you, she 
will co-operate with, my other disciples to strengthen the hearts 
and enlighten the souls of the wandering sheep that must be 
brought into my fold. 


JUDAS ISCARiO'T AS SPY AND APOSTLE. 


325 


CHAPTER XXVII. 


JUDAS ISCARIOT . AS SPY AND APOSTLE. 

Judas Iscariot had studied medicine under the Gentile physi 
cians and the Therepeuti of Egypt, and had returned to Judea 
as a qualified doctor of medicine. He reported to the chief 
priests and elders who had sent him that he believed himself to 
be as expert a physician as Jesus, and could rival him with the 
common people by the wonders which he had learned in that land 
of magic. But he had not been able to discover the true secret 
of the Shekhenah, and his experiments to produce it in Judea had 
proved a failure. The chief priests consequently sent him out as 
a physician arid instructed him to follow in the wake of Jesus 
and of his apostles; to spy upon them, and to question all the 
people with whom they had dealings about all they said and did ; 
in order to discover what object Jesus wished to gain by healing 
the sick and teaching the people without any compensation for 
his labors. The Jewish hierarchy could not believe that it was 
possible to labor for the people without the expectation of some 
great material gain for self. 

When the chief priests and Pharisees found that Jesus had 
again escaped them, and that Helena was inclined to regard the 
interposition of the Roman authorities as a direct indication of 
the protection of God, extended over a godly and holy man, they 
were filled with anger and hate: 

At this time, Herod,the third son of Mariamne the Asmonean, 
being dead, the Herodians had transferred their allegiance to his 
nephew Herod Agrippa, who was the son of Aristobulus. That 
Aristobulus was the second son of Mariamne the Asmonean, and 
with his brother Alexander, had been executed for treason against 
their father, Herod the Great. 

This Herod Agrippa, on account of having been directly and 


lESAT NASSAE. 


526 

indirectly the cause of seditious conspiracies against Roman au- 
thorities had been put into confinement by Tiberius Caesar; and 
was at this time under arrest at Rome. 

The chief priests and elders called a council, at which the 
most zealous and crafty of the Herodians were present. Judas 
Iscariot also was summoned to give account of his labors. Also 
to report what information he had been able to gather as he fol- 
lowed on the track of the Apostles ; concerning the object that 
Jesus had in view by sending them out on a mission of healing 
and preaching. 

Judas reported that he had found nothing whatever in the 
teachings of the apostles which could be construed as treasonable 
against the Roman government. But oh the contrary, fidelity 
and loyalty to the existing form of government was inculcated by 
them whenever the apostles were questioned on that subject. 

Judas farther reported, that in all his practice as physician he 
had never failed to call special attention to the fact that he per- 
formed his cures by the same methods as Jesus Nassar, the Great 
Physician. He had done this in order to gain the confidence of 
the people and learn any secrets with which converts of the 
Apostles might have been intrusted. However, he had not been 
able to ascertain anything besides what Jesus spoke openly and 
in public to the multitudes who gathered to listen. Judas had 
also come into personal contact with the Apostles, and some of 
them had forbidden him to quote their Master as his authority ; 
saying that Judas had not been commissioned by him, and did 
not teach his doctrines. 

Then the chief priests, Pharisees and Herodians, agreed and 
decided that their wisest course and policy would be to have 
spies among the apostles of Jesus. Of these, Judas Iscariot was 
appointed chief, and received his instructions and authority from 
the council. 

He had, when in Egypt, joined the sect of the Essenes, and was 
now to pretend to be an earnest seeker after more light and truth. 


JUDAS ISCARIOT AS SPY AND APOSTLE. 327 

by following Jesus to learn of him. Next he was to make open pro- 
fession as one of his disciples. Being already a qualified physi- 
cian, he was to use every means to secure an appointment as an 
apostle on the next mission that Jesus should send out. 

The doctrines which they would be commissioned to teach 
publicly, he was to expound in private in such a manner as to 
mean the overthrow of the government of Herod Antipas, Tet- 
rarch of Galilee, and of the Roman authorities. He was to hint 
at the advent of a political Messiah, who would not only estab- 
lish an independent Jewish kingdom and extend its limits, but 
was himself heir of a Jewish Queen. 

This vague and yet seemingly definite description of the 
political Messiah, would by the Jews be understood to mean 
Herod Agrippa, grandson of the Jewish Queen, Mariamne the 
Asmonean. To the proselytes it should be insinuated to mean 
King Izates, who like themselves had embraced Judaism, and 
might enlarge the kingdom by adding his own province to Pales- 
tine. But to the Gentiles and Essenes it was to be hinted that 
Jesus Nassar was the One coming to reconcile all differences by 
justice aud kindness, and thus establish the new kingdom. Jesus 
being near of kin to Queen Helena would be a possible heir of 
her, who on account of her adopted creed was, both in admira- 
tion and derision, spoken of as a ‘Qewish Queen.’' 

This task for Judas would be comparatively easy to accom- 
plish, because all religious teachings of that age possessed a 
double meaning; one for the laity or common people, and an- 
other for the initiates. The laity would feel much flattered by 
being treated as initiates, and would enter with zeal into a con- 
spiracy of which the wisest of teachers, the best and kindest of 
men was represented to be a participant, if not its actual chief. 
Thus could Jesus be compromised and accused of seeking to 
make himself king of the Jews as well as of promising to include 
Adiabene in the coming Messianic Kingdom. It would be suf- 
ficient to prove him guilty of inciting the people to treason and 


328 


lESAT NASSAR. 


rebellion, to cause him to be delivered to the Roman authorities 
and executed by them. 

When on their return John had informed Jesus of their en- 
counter with Judas Iscariot, the Lord explained to the apostles 
that if the man in question professed to cure by the same meth- 
ods as Jesus, he could not, for his own credit, directly after re- 
present that the Lord worked his cures by the power of the Evil 
One, as the chief priests and Pharisees charged. He further 
bade his disciples remember that so long as Judas was not an- 
tagonistic, he was helping them to relieve humanity of sickness 
and suffering. 

When word was brought to Jesus that Queen Helena had 
promised that she would not again give the Judean chief priests 
permission to persecute him, he returned to Capernaum. 

To this place came Judas Iscariot. He attended all the 
lectures and sermons given by Jesus in the college or elsewhere 
and always made himself conspicuous. When he believed that 
he had attracted sufficient notice for his apparent earnest atten- 
tion, Judas Iscariot made an open confession, and professed un- 
bounded faith in the doctrines of Jesus. He implored Jesus to 
allow him to be one of his immediate followers. He said to him, 
Master, I will follow thee whither soever thou goest. 

Such simple unbounded faith and trust in the integrity of the 
Lord’s teachings was greatly admired by the majority of the au- 
dience. That so learned a man as this Rabbi Yehuda Ish Bari 
Toth a should seek to ally himself so unreservedly with the cause 
of the religious Teacher, who was denounced, hunted and perse- 
cuted by the chief priests and doctors of the law, seemed to be a 
case of such rare disinterested conversion, that many simple- 
minded, honest spectators shed tears of sympathetic admiration 
over this recruit won from the hostile powers. 

Jesus, however, was not easily deceived. He could judge the 
cliaracter of a man by his outward appearance, and could dis- 
cern his motives by his actions, his words, and the tone and in- 


JUDAS ISCARIOT AS SPY AND APOSTLE. 329 

flections of his voice. He was able to detect that the seemingly 
earnest professions of Judas were forced utterances prompted by 
some interested motives. 

He told Judas that he could not expect any temporal gain 
from following him, but that on the contrary he would be ex- 
posed to the persecutions of the Judean rabbis his former col- 
leagues. He added that while foxes had holes where they were 
safe from pursuers, and birds of the air had nests, there was no 
place in the world that the emissaries, and hired assasins and 
hostile influence of the Judean chief-priests could not reach; and 
where he, Jesus Nassar, wealthy prince and benefactor though 
he was, could find a safe resting place for a single night. 

But Judas Iscariot insisted on becoming a disciple. He had 
already identified himself with the sect of the Essenes, and had 
so shrewdly paraded his piety and generosity as to win their un- 
qualified favor. The Capernaum Society of the Essenes had 
also entrusted Judas with the office of treasurer as a token of 
their appreciation of his superior financial abilities and his 
seeming philanthropy and charity, which he used as a cloak to 
cover his dishonesty. 

So when J esus appointed seventy disciples to go on a mission 
the Essenes brought all their influence to bear to have added to 
that number Judas and his assistant spy, who with him had 
joined the Essenes and the disciples of Jesus. 

Before the seventy started on their mission the Lord Jesus 
gave the disciples his charge to teach tlie true nature of the ad- 
vent of the kingdom of God. Then Judas rejoiced because he 
would have so good an opportunity to put his own construction 
upon such instructions. 

The times being rife with political and ecclesiastical plots, 
conspiracies and intrigues, the secret societies which originally 
had been established for mutual aid, and for the promotion of 
noble living, had become infested with spies, conspirators, in- 


lESAT NASSAR, 


33 ^ 

citors to rebellion, and adventurers who sought to make use of the 
societies for their own profit and advancement. 

To save his apostles from becoming compromised or en- 
tangled by such foes of law and order, Jesus warned them of the 
subtle manner in which the disaffected Herodians and Pharisees 
accomplished their work, just as leaven insidiously and steadily 
leavens the entire mass of dough. As a precaution he advised 
them to salute no man by the way.’’ They would avoid recog- 
nition by neither giving nor acknowledging salutations, and be 
freed from association with those through whom they might be 
compromised or drawn into trouble and danger. 

Then was Judas doubly glad; for he knew that the seventy 
would implicitly obey this order. He would thus be left to ac- 
complish his private mission, free from the chances of discovery 
by any of the seventy coming into confidential relations with the 
seditious leaven. 

Thus did the seventy, and two others, set out to fulfil the 
missions upon which they had been sent. 

The whole wide world for Jesus ! 

The marching order sound. 

Go ye, and preach the Gospel, 

Wherever man is found. 

The whole wide world for Jesus ! 

Our banner is unfurled. 

We battle now for Jesus, our Lord demands the world. 

Till every tongue confess Him through the whole wide world. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXVII. Also pages of 
same, 524-527, 531. 


CROWNED WITH THORNS. 33 1 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 


CROWNED WITH THORNS. 

When the seventy and two others returned from their mission, 
Judas Iscariot reported to the Jewish elders that he had faith- 
fully sown the treasonable teachings which he had set out to do. 

Upon this, the chief priests went to Queen Helena and 
begged her to send for Jesus that he might be confronted with 
his accusers. For, said they, their Deity had granted them the 
means whereby to prove him to be a traitor to his lawful alle- 
giance to her and to King Izates his Suzerains. 

Helena requested them to produce their evidence, that she 
might judge whether it was sufficiently reliable and serious to 
warrant her to summon Jesus. But they refused, excusing them- 
selves on the plea that they were too just to give evidence in the 
absence of the accused, and deprive him of the opportunity of 
refuting the charges if he were innocent. 

At the same time the Jewish Sages realized that Jesus would 
be on his guard ; and also that Queen Helena had no legal right 
to bring any of her subjects to trial on such a charge on Roman 
territory. So they persuaded Helena to resort to subterfuge, and 
to feign that she had become convinced that Jesus had escaped 
by a providential interposition, which had also saved her from 
being accessory to persecution against a go ly man. The Queen 
thus persuaded some Jews who were honorable men and disciples 
of Jesus, that she was conscience stricken and anxious to make 
reparation by explaining to Jesus in person the circumstances 
which had brought pressure to bear upon her. Also to assure 
him of her satisfaction that he could now enjoy peace and safety. 
Helena further enlisted the sympathies of these unsuspecting 
men so far, that they undertook to carry her message and to per- 
suade Jesus to visit her. 


332 


lESAT NASSAR. 


But Jesus was on his guard. However these men urged that 
he owed certain duties to Queen Helena as the mother of his 
clan and chief of his family. Also, that although she with her 
sons were outsiders to his teachings, yet they might be induced 
at least to afford him their legal protection against his enemies, 
who would certainly not desist from their persecutions and in- 
trigues against him. They further argued, that the chief priests 
and ecclesiastical lawyers could not possibly harm Jesus on the 
occasion of a friendly visit to his chief and kinswoman. 

When Jesus arrived at the residence of Queen Helena, ac- 
companied by some of his friends and the suitable number of 
attendants, he found that a number of the chief priests, elders 
and ecclesiastical lawyers had come at the same time. 

The reception was conducted with great state, and when the 
formalities of salutations between hostess and guests were at an 
end and seats had been given to the visitors. Queen Helena ad- 
dressed Jesus. She explained, that the object of her invitation 
to him at the same time with the Jewish elders, was made with 
the desire of bringing about a reconcilation between them. She 
believed that both he and they were godly and righteous; al- 
though evidently opposed to each other in some of their methods 
of teaching. This, she trusted was only caused through misun- 
derstanding of each others motives. 

Then Jesus rose to reply. His discourse, so easy in style, was 
so sublime in sense and spiritual magnetism, that the majority of 
his audience felt their spirits raised above the paltry superstitions 
of ceremonial creeds with which they had hitherto contented 
themselves ; while their hearts and intelligence were stirred with 
noble resolve to emulate so holy and heroic an example, as the 
life of the Lord Jesus. 

But the malignity of base, sordid natures against that which is 
noble, was only increased in his enemies as they witnessed the 
effects of the words of Jesus upon his auditors. 

Eleazer, the ex-high priest, now claimed a hearing as spokes- 


CROWNED WITH THORNS. 


333 


man for his party. He said, that ecclesiastical Israel had always 
been noted for its promotion of humanity and peace ; and de- 
manded nothing more than to be allowed to continue its work 
unopposed by any self seekers. He and his colleagues had been 
much troubled of late. A number of their faithful adherents had 
dutifully sought counsel and advice, whether they should receive 
the announcement of the coming of a political Messiah, made by 
the apostles of Jesus, as the truth, or reject it as the false teach- 
ings of them that lead astray. Fearing to excite wrath and 
persecutions against themselves by the Roman government, 
whose faithful allies and subjects they were, the chief priests had 
arrested Judas and had given him the choice either to make con- 
fession in private before Queen Helena, or to be given up to the 
Romans as one who went about inciting to treason. 

The Queen signified her pleasure to hear Judas; who then 
rose with seeming reluctance. He began with an exhaustive, 
rambling oration, explanatory of his own pious search after 
righteousness, sanctification and justification, and how such quest 
had led him to appreciation of the Essene doctrines of rigorous 
abstemiousness and social equality with communal funds. After 
this he proceeded with suave sycophancy, to relate how he was 
drawn to become an apostle of Jesus and zealous in his service. 

Seeing that thus far he had made a very favorable impression, 
Judas proceeded to explain that he had felt great indignation 
against Queen Helena wdien she had given the Judean priests 
permission to persecute and seize Jesus, in Galilee. His heart 
had gone out in sympathy for the Great Teacher, who had once 
been his fellow student and Khaber ; more especially, as he him- 
self was also regarded almost as a renegade for having joined the 
sect of the Essenes. For such reasons he had labored with extra 
zeal to spread the message which Jesus had confided to them; 
believingit to be but a righteous retribution that a just man should 
dethrone the son of an unjust Queen ; a son who blindly obeyed 
the dictates of his mother. 


334 


lESAT NASSAR. 


But sinc<i he had had the extreme honor and privilege of 
being in her illustrious presence, and had witnessed her noble, 
pious efforts to mediate and restore peace between Jesus and the 
chief priests, he had felt that he had done wrong to work for the 
cause of one who could send messengers under the guise of 
physicians, to win the subjects and allies of so pious a Queen 
from their lawful allegiance. 

This unfounded and totally unexpected accusation shocked 
Jesus and his friends so greatly that they were silent for a few 
moments. Then when Jesus attempted to ask the reason why 
Judas Iscariot so boldly misrepresented the mission on which 
the disciples had been sent. Queen Helena, won over by Judas’ 
shrewd flattery, became totally oblivious of the duty she owed 
her noble kinsman, and allowed him no opportunity to ask the 
question. So Judas continued to speak without intermission or 
interruption. 

Helena also became eager to hear of anything derogatory to 
this perfect man, whose influence and whose words had become 
such a mighty power with the people that the hierarchy of Israel 
feared him. She was jealous of Jesus because of his great fame, 
a fame which all their demonstrative piety had failed to gain 
either for her or for her favorite son, Izates. 

Encouraged by Helena’s injustice in not allowing Jesus to 
question him, Judas went on to quibble with the words the Lord 
had used when giving the seventy and two others the charge 
concerning the Kingdom of God. He also represented the com- 
mand to “Salute no man by the way,” as a warning to the apos- 
tles not to communicate the secret of the treason against King 
Izates and the Romans to any orthodox loyal Jew; lest he should 
betray it to the authorities. 

For two hours Judas Iscariot revelled in verbose and hysteri- 
cal oratory, and when he had exhausted his ideas for the time 
being, J esus was permitted to speak. 


CROWNED WITH THORNS. 335 

Calmly, nobly, concisely and convincingly, the Lord de- 
nounced the calumny as one without foundation. 

Then Judas Iscariot had recourse to tears and pious invoca- 
tions ; that infallible refuge of the defeated liar who calumniates, 
either through malice or from a mistaken sense of religious duty. 
This trick proved very effective on the audience, that again ex- 
perienced a revulsion of feeling in favor of Judas. Seeing this, 
and having been instructed to watch the most opportune mo- 
ment for such a blow, J udas added as proof of his former state- 
ments, that he had been instructed to betray to his Gentile sub- 
jects, the fact that King Izates had identified himself with Jew- 
ish interests by becoming a proselyte of righteousness ” se- 
cretly. 

This statement, made with a loud voice, in presence and 
hearing of so mixed an audience and of her Gentile guards, drove 
Queen Helena well-nigh distracted with anger. It was in vain 
that Jesus appealed to her sense of justice and duty, by the de- 
mand that the testimony of the seventy apostles be taken before 
she believed that he could have been guilty of such dishonorable 
actions. 

The chief priests strenulously opposed such a course, because 
they already knew that it would be impossible to induce any one 
of the seventy disciples to witness falsely against Jesus. They 
had made advances to each of them with all the craft of which 
they were masters, but had failed to corrupt or to deceive a 
single one. Consequently they urged Helena to take immediate 
and decisive measures for the safety of her son, and represented 
that if Jesus was permitted to communicate with his fellow-con- 
spirators they might precipitate matters so as to cause the de- 
struction of her son Izates, to insure the safety of Jesus. 

As Helena hesitated, Annas proposed to remove all doubts 
in the Queen’s mind and in his own as to the veracity of Judas’ 
statement. He ordered that the most soloiiin oath which is onAy 


336 


lESAT NASSAR. 


exacted in the gravest cases, should be administered to Judas 
Iscariot. 

Helena consented to accept this as sufficient test of Judas’ 
honesty, and the oath was forthwith administered to him with all 
the prescribed formalities of swearing on the sacred roll of the 
law, invocations, anathemas, lighted candles and wearing a 
shroud during the ceremony. 

Judas Iscariot had no scruple whatever in committing per- 
jury; for he annulled the oath in his mind while taking it with 
his lips; and in his religion this was permissable against foes of 
Judaism and against Gentiles. 

When Judas had taken the oath, the chief priests suddenly 
attacked Jesus and knocked him down with such brutal force 
that he lay stunned for some time on the ground while they 
taunted and jeered at him. 

The savagery that is always latent in the undisciplined nature 
of every bigot and fanatic overcame all the polite training of Queen 
Helena’s life, and she witnessed the disgraceful scene and unpro- 
voked outrage upon a defenceless man whom she had trapped 
into the situation, without any expression of disapproval. 

At the suggestion of Eleazar, son of Annas, the Queen bade 
the guards raise Jesus from the ground, and questioned him as 
to the names and number of the nobles of her kingdom who were 
in league with him. But she could receive no other answer than 
that he knew of no conspiracy at all. 

Then Helena ordered those of her servants who were the 
executioners, to bring the instruments of torture and to scourge 
Jesus; thereby to wring a confession from him. But receiving 
none, she delivered him over to the chief priests and lawyers to 
murder according to their pleasure. 

Now the laws by which Rome governed her provinces of 
Galilee and Judea, were such that the Jewish Sanhedrim could not 
put any Jews to death without sentence after due trial. For such 
trial, the Sanhedrim were obliged to obtain the official permit of 


CROWNED WITH THORNS. 


337 


the Roman governor of the province. This permit received, the 
Sanhedrim had the power to bring to trial, condemn, sentence 
and execute any one who was a Jew by religion, unless he were 
a Roman by nationality or by purchase of protection. In that 
case, the accused could appeal to Csesar, and demand a trial by 
the Roman Courts. 

If the accused, although Jew by religion, was by nationality 
the subject of a power that was an ally of Rome, as Adiabene, 
the Roman Governor could not grant the Sanhedrim a permit to 
bring him to trial unless the reigning sovereign of the ‘allied 
power withdrew his protection from the accused subject, and de- 
livered him to judgment by the Jewish tribunal. 

A trial for conspiracy against the king of an allied power, in 
Galilee which was Roman territory, was totally illegal. Helena 
was abusing her authority over Jesus, and making herself acces- 
sory to a dastardly murder. 

Therefore, as the chief priests did not dare to put Jesus to 
death openly, they confined him in a subterranean dungeon, such 
as were attached to the majority of their synagogues for disci- 
plining Jews who dared to gainsay or oppose the rabbis. 

These dungeons, built of solid stone walls or cut in the rock, 
were dark, foul smelling and filthy places, where the victims 
could be beaten and starved to death without the Roman author- 
ities ever even hearing of the occurence. For under fear of the 
ban of the synagogue, and the danger of being abducted or en- 
trapped to suffer a similar fate, no Jew ever dared expose these 
horrible outrages. They were spoken of with bated breath 
among themselves, and the rabbis continued their undisputed 
sway over the bodies and souls of their luckless co-religionists. 

The terrible malignity of unscrupulous men, who usurped the 
place of the Deity towards their fellow creatures, was exercised 
against Jesus. Not content with mocking, taunts, insults and 
blows, the chief priests and ecclesiastical lawyers lacerated his 
noble head with a crown 'of sharp thorns, ^nd put him to the 


338 


lESAT NASSAR, 


torture of standing bound, without food or drink for three days 
and three nights. 

The jailor in charge, was doubtless one of the Sicarii or hired 
assassins of the chief priests, who kept organized bands of these 
murderers and robbers in their employ. Revelling in deeds of 
torture and scenes of sufferiug, the jailer offered vinegar when the 
Lord Jesus, buried alive in the evil dungeon, broken hearted at 
the perfidy of man and woman, agonized beyond further endur- 
ance by bruises, wounds, weariness, hunger and thirst, begged 
for a little water. 

As for Judas Iscariot, he was later absolved from the sin of 
perjury by the High Priest. The Essene oath he had taken, was 
not at all counted as a perjury. To bear false witness under 
such oath, seeing it was for the safety of Judaism, was rather a 
deed of merit than a sin, and the Essenes were outsiders. 

Oh sacred Head how wounded, 

With grief and pain bowed down. 

How scornfully surrounded 
With thorns thy only crown. 

What thou Oh Lord hast suffered, 

Was all for sinners’ gain ; 

For, Man’s was the trangression, 

But Thine the deadly pain. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXVIII. See also pages 
of same, 560-567. 


HEROD THE TETRARCH OF GALILEE. 


339 


K 

I CHAPTER XXIX. 


HEROD THE TETRARCH OF GALILEE. 

Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea was a 
son of Herod the Great by his wife Maltace, a Samaritan woman. 

Religiously and as regarded fellowship, Judaism placed the 
Samaritans on the same footing as the Gentiles. For such reason 
Herod Antipas, being the son of an Idumean and a Samaritan, 
was regarded as a usurper against whom it w^as a religious duty 
to plot and conspire. 

The city of Tiberius, on the western shore of the Lake, had 
been built B. C. i6, over an ancient cemetery, probably the re- 
mains of a former town. It was beautified and named Tiberius 
by Herod Antipas in honor of Tiberius Caesar, and became the 
capital of the tetrarchy. 

It w'as some time before the apostles could learn what had 
become of Jesus; for Helena had kept him in ^vard till the Jew- 
ish elders had opportunity to take him away unobserved. Also 
the ban of the synagogue had been pronounced against any Jew 
who, knowing where he was imprisoned, should betray the place 
to the followers of Jesus. 

But some of the laity, humane and just men, and weary of 
the oppression of the rabbis, found means of conveying the in- 
intelligence to Peter, James and John, without being suspected of 
having done so. 

To insure against the Lord’s being secretly removed from 
that dungeon v/hile they appealed to the government of Herod, 
a large number of the disciples of Jesus were notified to surround 
the place and keep watch night and day. 

This dastardly and illegal action by Queen Helena and her 
coadjutors caused a great commotion both among the Jews and 
Gentiles. Bigots, cruel fanatics and the lawless element in pay 


340 


lESAT NASSAR. 


of the chief priests, maintained the rights of unlimited power for 
the ecclesiastics as their divine prerogative ; and claimed that 
such illegal actions were necessary and wholesome discipline for 
rebels and heretics. But the law-abiding lovers of justice, the in- 
telligent and humane of the population, vigorously denounced 
^ such proceedings as equivalent to highway robbery and an am- 
buscade of murderers. 

Members of families were arrayed against each other in such 
discussions at home ; while on the streets and all public places 
it was the chief topic of conversation, argument, dissension and 
strife. 

The chief priests waged bitter war against the laity by deadly 
anathemas, threats of excommunications, and by appeals to the 
superstitious and the bigots. 

Meanwhile, Peter, James and John had laid a statement of 
the case before Herod, and demanded a legal investigation by 
his court of judgment; the alleged offense having been committed 
within his jurisdiction. 

When Herod heard what had happened he was greatly per- 
plexed. The eastern monarchs, Aryans or Semites, had so 
gradually encroached on the rights and liberties of the people, 
and had so long exercised absolute power over their subjects, that 
it was very difficult to define how far their legal rights extended. 
Besides Queen Helena was the mother of a sovereign who was 
an ally of Rome, and whom it was not politic to offend. 

But his course was clear so far as the elders of the Jews were 
concerned. They had no legal right to put Jesus into prison 
without a trial, for which an official permit should have been 
given by Herod. Further, they could bring Jesus to trial only 
on an accusation which concerned Jewish ecclesiastical law. 

Herod therefore issued the official writ which demanded that 
Jesus Nassar be produced before his tribunal. 

The elders of the Jews who always had their spies in the 
Courts and around the Tetrarch, were regularly informed of all 


HEROD THE TETRARCH OT GALILEE, 34 1 

the proceedings. But on account of the strict watch that was 
kept around the prison by the disciples of Jesus they were not 
able to remove him to another place. 

Such of the apostles as were subjects of Herod, had lodged 
complaint against Queen Helena’s illegal action ; and she had 
been officially notified of the same. So she warned the chief 
priests against committing any further outrages on the person of 
Jesus Nassar, lest thereby they might expose her as well as ' 
themselves to public disgrace or trouble. 

The chief priests and ecclesiastical lawyers then • assembled 
in council to consult what should be done. They argued, that 
as Herod Antipas was not of Jewish race, his sympathies would 
be with Jesus ; and if these two descendants of proselytes were 
permitted to meet under such circumstances as a question of a 
Jewish Messianic kingdom, there was great danger of their com- 
ing to an amicable understanding. They therefore decided to 
incriminate Jesus by making him appear as a fugitive. This they 
felt would save them from the public odium, which would surely 
fall on them if the Lord should be brought before the Court 
for examination. 

To carry out this plan several Pharisees were chosen who 
had never openly opposed Jesus or his followers. These carried 
an order for the jailer to report in person to the president of 
the council, and when he was gone they set another whom they 
had brought, on duty. After this they entered the dungeon with 
a great show of secresy, caution and sympathy, and proceeded 
to loosen the cords and chains by which the Lord had stood 
bound hand and foot. 

They informed Jesus that his enemies had so incited the 
jealousy, suspicion and anger of Herod Antipas against him, that 
the Tetrarch was seeking for all means whereby to convict and 
execute him for treason. 

They assured the Lord that they had resorted to artifice and 
fraud to secure admission into the dungeon, because they were 


lESAT NASSAR. 


31 ^ 

powerless to act openly; and had determined at all risks to 
help him to escape beyond the reach of Herod and of all other 
enemies. 

Then they spoke of the means by which his safety should be 
insured. They had brought with them, secretly hidden on their 
persons, all the necessary garments to dress him as one of them- 
selves. Thus arrayed lie could pass out unnoticed by the jailer 
in the dark and ill-liglited corridor. They would accompany 
Jesus to the wharf where a boat waited to carry them to the op- 
posite shore; whence he could easily escape into Philip’s territory 
beyond the reach of Herod. 

But if he distrusted them and feared treachery on their part, 
he could immediately call to his aid, and join, his own disciples; 
a number of whom were surrounding the premises. Then they 
urged the necessity of immediate action lest the soldiers of 
Herod should arrive before he could effect his escape. 

But the Lord refused their offer. He was glad that the fact 
of his imprisonment was known to Herod; as it would insure 
for him a just trial and an honest investigation of the accusations 
against him. 

The Pharisees gnashed their teeth with anger at the Lord’s 
firm refusal to accompany them. Entreaties, arguments, and 
persuasive warnings were all in vain, and just as they were losing 
control of themselves the measured tread of armed men was 
heard overhead, with the clash of weapon against metal armor. 
Curses deep and bitter were uttered against Jesus as the Phari- 
sees realized that it was too late. 

Only the stern voice of the officer in command was occasion- 
ally heard as the steady measured tramp of the Roman soldiers 
was heard on the dirty stone steps, and along the unclean, slimy 
corridor, which was now lit by means of blazing resinous wood, 
carried aloft in iron cressets. 

In the dungeon they heard the command given to halt, after 
which absolute stillness reigned for a few moments, and then 


HEROD THE TETRARCH OF GALILEE. 


343 


came the order to Open in the name of Herod the Tetrarch.^’ 

Iron bolts were withdrawn, the large clumsy key grated in the 
strong lock, the rusty hinges creaked noisily, and the heavy, 
oaken, iron girded door swung open. 

The smoke and flame of the torches cast flickering lights and 
shadows on the earnest manly faces, the athletic forms and 
gleaming armor of motionless soldiers, whose exceeding cleanli- 
ness of person and accoutrements contrasted strongly with the 
dark and filthy corridor in which they stood. 

Just behind the soldiers a couple of ecclesiastical lawyers 
stood with humble mien. They represented the chief priests who 
had put Jesus in prison, and had come to deliver the Lord to 
the legal authorities, according to the order of Herod. 

After these, with countenances expressive of love, anxiety, 
sympathy and great indignation, came a group, composed of 
Peter with the Lady Marya, and Joanna wife of Herod’s steward. 
Also James and John with their mother, the Lady Salome, and 
servants carrying clothes and refreshments. 

The officer gave the signal and the lawyers stepped forward. 

Preceded by torch-bearers and two soldiers, the commander 
entered the dungeon ; the lawyers, the apostles with the women 
followed; while the rest of the soldiers remained mute and 
motionless on guard outside; where also waited the servants 
and other torch-bearers. 

First the officer read the order to produce Jesus; upon 
which the lawyers came up humbly to the Lord and formally 
delivered him. 

A spasm of pain and indignation contracted the stern face of 
the Roman warrior at the scene that met his gaze. The beauti- 
ful, wan face and pallid hands, bruised and stained with blood 
that had scarcely dried over the wounds and lacerations, the 
golden hued hair of head and beard clotted with gore, the rich 
garments torn and soiled. For thus stood before him the noble 


344 


lESAT NASSAR. 


prince, the kindly benefactor, the godly man and teacher, Jesus 
N assar. 

A glance like a gleam of death-dealing lightning, shot from 
the officer’s eyes towards the lawyers. They had stepped aside, 
and with the Pharisees and the jailer formed a group that well 
personified lawlessness, abject and craven in the presence of the 
majesty of justice. 

The old warrior cleared his throat with a sound like a stifled 
sob as he respectfully addressed the Lord. 

Sir, are you Jesus Nassar? 

Yea, replied the Lord, I am he. 

The officer then read the official summons for Jesus Nassar, 
resident within the jurisdiction of the Tetrarch, to appear on the 
following day before the tribunal of Herod; to answer a charge 
of inciting to treason against the Governor; said charge having 
been made by the chief-priests and elders of the Jews. 

Knowing that Herod neither would, nor legally could take 
action concerning the charge of conspiracy to compromise Izates, 
but would protect Jesus against illegal detention or arrest so long 
as he lived within his jurisdiction, the ecclesiastical lawyers had 
hastened to accuse Jesus of treason against Herod and Caesar; 
as soon as the apostles had appealed to the Tetrarch. 

After reading the summons the officer ordered the lawyers, 
Pharisees and jailer out of the dungeon. Then, with a respectful 
salute to the Lord, he went into the corridor, where with his 
soldiers, he waited while the apostles and the women ministered 
to Jesus. 

They cleansed the blood stains and clots from his hair, face, 
hands and feet ; revived him with some light nourishment, and 
when the Lord had exchanged the torn, soiled garments for 
fresh rainment, the party was safely escorted by the Roman 
guard to the house of Chuzah, Herod’s steward; where they were 
to abide until after the examination. 

As soon as John, James and Peter had learned of Helena’s 


HEROB the TETRARCH of GALILEE. 345 

perfidy and of the false accusations made by Judas Iscariot, they 
had dispatched messengers to call as many of the seventy to 
Tiberias as could be reached in time; that they might bear wit- 
ness concerning the instructions which the Lord had given them 
when he sent them on that memorable mission. 

These came with haste, as also a great multitude from many 
towns and villages, who had heard of the treachery and persecu- 
tion against Jesus. 

When the Lord came before Herod, he was received and 
treated with the courtesy due to his rank. 

Although regretting the untowardness of the occasion, Herod 
was very glad to have the opportunity for personal intercourse 
with this wonderful man, who had sacrificed ease, ambition and 
pleasure in order to benefit the people. These, according to 
Herod’s experience and observations generally betrayed their 
benefactors to them who oppressed and enslaved the ungrateful 
herd. 

The chief priests and ecclesiastical lawyers vehemently ac- 
cused Jesus of teaching that it was not lawful for Jews to pay 
tribute to Caesar. 

But a number of Jews as well as Gentiles stepped forward of 
their own accord to contradict this, and to testify that they them- 
selves had heard these his accusers ask the Lord whether it was 
lawful for them to give tribute to Caesar or not, inasmuch as they 
had vowed allegiance to Jehovah alone ? Also that these elders 
had prefixed the question with the flattery : We know that thou 
speakest the truth and fearest not any man. 

What answer did Jesus Nassar give them ? asked Herod. 

The witnesses related how Jesus had taken a piece of money 
of the legal current coin of the country, and had asked these 
Pharisees and Herodians whose image and superscription it bore ? 
Obliged to reply : ‘‘ Caesar’s,” the Lord had bidden them there- 
fore to ‘‘ Render unto Caesar the things that were Caesar’s.” 

The crosss examination of the witnesses further elicited the 


lESAT NASSAIR. 


34 ^ 

fact, that although the laws of tenure exempted the Assyrian 
nobles in Galilee from paying tax or tribute to the successive con- 
querors, Jesus Nassar had of his own free will paid both tax and 
tribute, and had thus set an example of good citizenship ; which 
bears the burdens of the State as well as enjoys its privileges. 

It was proved by the testimony of the apostles and of many 
who had learned of them, that the teachings of Jesus were of a 
Kingdom of God which could not be established by the substitu- 
tion of one King for another, nor by war, nor by enforcement of 
particular doctrines. But tliat the Kingdom was one which must 
exist in each individual heart, and make both rulers and subjects, in 
their various occupations, co -workers in justice and brotherly love. 

When Jesus had risen to answer in his own defense, he re- 
quested Herod to question any of the people as to who they 
judged Jesus to be, by his teaching and deeds. Also to ask the 
apostles who they represented their Master to be. 

Among the scores of witnesses examined from the crowds that 
were eager to testify, there was not one who had had any reason 
to regard Jesus Nassar as a possible earthly ruler. His words 
and actions had brought no other conviction nor expectation to 
their hearts or minds, than that he was a great and beneficent 
teacher or prophet; and many of the people simply replied: 
When the Christ shall come, will he do more than this Jesus 
Nassar hath done? 

When the Apostle Peter was called to testify, and Herod asked 
him: Who do you represent your Master Jesus Nassar to be? 
the majority of the audience were touched with awe as Peter re- 
plied with simple earnest reverence : 

The Christ of God. 

It was further proven by reliable, honorable men, that Judas 
Iscariot and his assistant had been the only two of all the apostles 
who had given and sought recognition to secret organizations, by 
salutations on that circuit; and who had also given a political 
interpretation to the teachings of Jesus Nassar. 


1 


HEROD THE TETRARCH OF GALILEE. 347 

In reply to this accusation, Judas Iscariot justified himself by 
the plea, that according to the tenets of Judaism, in regard to the 
Messiah, as also according to the creeds of the Gentiles concern- 
ing the Great Deliverer, the miraculous age when man should all 
be happy and prosperous, would be ushered and perpetuated by 
one who would be a King. 

The ecclesiastical lawyers then began to accuse the I.ord of 
seeking adherents to his cause by supplying a large number of 
people with fish and bread during a period of time, when, because 
of the failure of the crops there had been much distress among 
peasantry on the east side of the Jordan. 

But the Tetrarch remembered that the elders of the Jews had 
charged his father, Herod the Great, with the worst motives, 
when, in similar seasons of distress he had remitted the taxes and 
assisted the peasantry out of his own private means. 

He therefore himself answered this charge against Jesus, by 
asking the chief priests : Whether, since they attributed such mo- 
tives to Jesus Nassar, they would also accuse Queen Helena, who 
had supplied the poor of Judea with provisions during the same 
period, of any intention to win the Jews as adherents for King 
Izates whose province they had counted as Land of Israel,’’ 
and thus incite to treason against Rome ? 

The elders of the Jews, with much vehemence, replied that 
the Queen Helena had performed such charity only through 
piety. 

Then said Herod : All the testimony of the multitude exam- 
ined before us, is sufficient proof that Jesus Nassar had conferred 
all his benefits of healing, teaching and also of feeding the poor, 
not only for pure disinterested love for God and man, but also that 
he sought to avoid even the just rewards of fame and praise for 
his goodness. • 

At the close of the examination the Governor rendered his 
decision. He had found no fault at all in Jesus Nassar concern- 
ing the charges which had been brought against him by the 


348 


lESAT NASSAR. 


elders of the Jews; and seeing that he was not guilty, the Lord 
was to be free and safe from molestation by any man within the 
jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. 

After these things Herod saw Jesus privately and advised him 
to go to Adiabene and to appeal to King Izates against a repeti- 
tion of such illegal proceedings on the part of Queen Helena. 
For his future safety against her perfidy and the wiles of her 
spiritual rulers, would depend on the protection of his direct 
chief, Izates. Prince Monabaz, the king’s elder brother, had 
also always proved a faithful friend and ally of Jesus. 

And, added Herod, we will send our ambassador with your 
highness, who shall carry to our cousin Izates an official copy of 
the examination and decision of our tribunal. Also a letter writ- 
ten by our own hand, which shall express our great esteem for 
you and the assurance of your loyalty to him as the chief of your 
family and clan. 

And so the Lord Jesus went with his company to his own 
country and people. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXIX. 







THE THIRD TEMPTATION. 


349 


CHAPTER XXX. 


THE THIRD TEMPTATION. 

At this time the great Parthian Kingdom extended over all 
the provinces of what had been the Persian Kingdom, and com- 
l)rised the most fertile regions of middle and western Asia. It 
was divided into eighteen provinces or principalities, governed by 
vassal kings. The dominions of Parthia were separated from 
those of Rome by the Euphrates on the west. Sometimes at 
peace, sometimes at bitter hostilities with Rome, sometimes vic- 
torious and sometimes vanquished, the Parthians were never 
subjugated by the Romans. 

The government of Parthia was monarchical, but as there 
was no line of succession, rival aspirants, encouraged by Roman 
policy, weakened the country by frequent internal broils. 

Artabanus III, King of Parthia, was both hated and feared by 
Tiberius Csesar. By offers of large sums of money, made through 
his General Vitellius, Tiberius succeeded in persuading the feuda- 
tory kings of several provinces to deal treacherously with xArta- 
banus by giving the Scythians, who were formerly allied to the 
Parthians, passage through their territories to make war on Arta- 
banus. Parthia was filled with war, during which the principal 
men were slain and the country in a state of great disorder. The 
Roman General had also bribed a number of the kinsmen and 
friends of Artabanus to kill him, but the King discovered the 
conspiracies and escaped with those that were faithful to him to 
the upper provinces ; where he raised a great army and finally 
retained his principality. 

During this time also, great depredations were committed 
throughout the country by a band of robbers. The gang was 
headed by two Jews, natives of Neerda, a strongly fortified city 
of the province of Babylonia and possessed by Hebrews. These 


350 


lESAT NASSAR. 


robber chiefs were brothers, who having been punished by their 
master for neglecting their work, robbed his house of a large 
number of weapons it contained. They were joined by a great 
number of vicious young men who were poor because they re- 
fused to do honest work. The gang betook themselves to the 
rich pasture lands between the rivers; where they made raids on 
the cattle and on the stores of provisions laid up by the peasan- 
try for winter. The robbers also levied blackmail on the vil- 
lages ; killing the cattle and devastating the property of such as 
dared refuse to pay them tribute. 

Repeated attempts by the Parthians and Babylonians to de- 
stroy the gang, failed on account of spies who warned the robbers 
betimes of the approach and plans of the enemy. Also, being 
Jews, the chiefs were sustained and protected by their co-religion- 
ists. The band was so constantly reinforced from the vicious 
and lawless elements and they terrorized the country to such an 
extent, that Artabanus was obliged to make a truce with them; 
which he did on the conditions that they should keep Babylonia 
free from incursions by other robbers. But the brothers broke faith 
and devastated the villages belonging to the son-in-law of Arta- 
banus as well as of Babylonia. 

Josephus remarks, that the two robber chiefs flourished in 
this happy condition for fifteen years, but when they deviated 
from that course of virtue by which they had gained such power, 
and transgressed the laws of the Hebrews by marrying a foreign 
wife, they risked that high authority which by God’s blessing 
they had arrived at. 

At this time also, the non-Jewish citizens of the province of 
Adiabene were in a state of angry discontent. Their king, 
Izates, had embraced Judaism with circumcision, and had granted 
unlimited priveleges to all Jews within his realms at the expense 
of his other subjects. He had now begun to make serious en- 
croachments on the hereditary rights of his people, by abrogat- 
ing their religion and endeavoring to substitute Judaism as the 


THE THIRD TEMPTATION. 


351 


creed of the State. The oppression of all non- Jews induced a 
large number of the people of Adiabene to embrace Judaism in 
order to escape persecution, to retain office, or to enjoy the favors 
and privileges which now were granted to Jews only. 

A number of the nobles of this province formed a league to 
dethrone Izates, and in his place to elect one who should 
neither encroach on their rights, nor grant privileges to any of 
his subjects on account of creed or race. This league appealed 
to Vologases, an able general and a son of the King of Parthia, 
to support them in this undertaking. 

Such was the political condition of the provinces of Parthia, 
when, by the advice of Herod the Tetrarch, the Lord Jesus went 
to Adiabene for the purpose of securing the protection of Izates 
against Helena’s variable moods. 

The Lord Jesus was more or less allied by kin or by mar- 
riage connections with the reigning families of the Parthian Prov- 
inces. The disaffected nobles of Adiabene saw in him an easy 
solution of their difficulty. He was one of their own princes and 
clansmen. True, Jesus had been born and reared in the faith of 
Judaism, but he had abjured its dogmas. He had been thor- 
oughly instructed in all Magian and Zoroastrian doctrines ; of 
which he had rejected none that were true and good. With per- 
fect and impartial justice he denounced the errors, and with con- 
vincing logic he pointed out the truths in all creeds. 

So while Jesus Nassar tarried in Adiabene, a deputation from 
this league of the nobles came to him, and entreated him to 
become their King in place of Izates whom they had determined 
to dethrone. 

But the Lord refused to consider the proposals and offers by 
which he should be made King of Adiabene. He advised the 
disaffected nobles that although it was their bounded duty firmly 
to withstand all encroachments on their rights as men and citi- 
zens, yet they should endeavor to restore and maintain just gov- 
ernment in the State by other means than civil warfare. He 


lESAT NASSAR. 


352 

also undertook to expostulate and remonstrate with Izatcs ; with- 
out in any manner implicating or compromising the nobles who 
had appealed to him. 

Jesus redeemed his promise faithfully. He united argument 
and entreaty to dissuade Izates from encroaching on the rights of 
his people. 

He first pointed out that States and communities lose their 
strength and vigor by a gradual decline, and that the first stage 
of the downward course is a loss of interest in its citizenship. He 
then demonstrated that the second stage would be the decay of 
the sense of duty towards the State, and that by such progressive 
decay a nation is stripped of its honor, stability and greatness. 
Thirdly, the Lord showed Izates how, from such internal ex- 
haustion of the strength of a State, its resources and vital energy 
would be steadily consumed, and the people led rapidly to ruin 
and extinction. 

In the plainest terms, the Lord spoke to Izates of his respon- 
sibilities towards his subjects, and the injustice of granting privi- 
leges and immunity from the burdens of the State to foreigners, 
because they exacted such under plea of religious obligations. 
He further pointed out that a pure undefiled religion towards 
God, the All- Father, would teach its adherents to bear the bur- 
dens of the State as a sacred duty and that those who evaded 
any of its obligations, had no right to claim its protection nor a 
share of its benefits; much less to exact privileges. 

Finally Jesus pointed out to Izates the danger of exasperat- 
ing his non-Jewish subjects; because such a course must end in 
revolt, civil war and desolation of the land. The Lord also 
warned Izates that on his soul would be the guilt of the decline, 
decay and destruction of the State; because as King, he was 
‘Giis brother’s keeper” and God would surely require his 
brother’s blood at his hands. 

Prince Monabaz had been present at the conference, and 
Jesu§ had remonstrated with him on the un worth motives which 


THE J’HtRD temptation. 


353 


led him to desire to embrace Judaism; viz. the hope of gaining 
additional esteem and power through the influence of the adher- 
ents of that creed. 

No spy system has ever proved so thorough and effective as 
those instituted under the name of religious duty. Every sense 
the spy possesses is employed and quickened by the conviction 
that he is working out his own salvation, securing the welfare of 
his co-religionists and the triumph of his creed by the watch he 
keeps on the words and actions of his neighbors. Nothing 
eludes his observation, and neither kindred nor friends are sacred 
from betrayal in what he believes to be, the interests of re- 
ligion. 

To the propagators of any creed which necessitates the use of 
a spy system to insure its existence and success, it is a cheap 
method of ecclesiastical government ; because the spy, as a rule, 
seeks neither wealth nor fame but is satisfied with having per- 
formed his duty in this life, and to wait for its due reward in the 
life to come. 

Founded, builded and sustained by so-called miraculous in- 
terpositions, the continued existence of Judaism depended on a 
spy system which enabled it to circumvent any movement that 
might tend to deprive it of the privileges and immunities which 
it exacted from the Gentile governments, under the plea of re- 
ligious obligations. 

The policy of Judaism was a perfectly safe one for its own 
protection and benefit. It professed loyalty to the party in 
power, whether petty chieftain or mighty emperor. To such 
sovereigns it was always, what Josephus terms, very useful,’^ 
through its perfect spy system which enabled it to detect and re- 
port to the magistrates, the revolutionary words and actions of 
their subjects. For such services, the rulers and elders of Juda- 
ism were paid by grants of the privileges and immunities which 
they demanded. But they did not consider such services at all 
degrading, or as treachery towards the people among whom they. 

23 


354 


iESAT NASSAft. 


lived and flourished. On the contrary it was regarded as ^ 
meritorious religious duty; one of the means where])y the Chosen 
People should finally accomplish its noble mission. 

Consequently the chief priests and elders of the Jewish com- 
munity of Adiabene, were fully cognizant of the conspiracy of the 
nobles against Izates ; as also of their desire to place Jesus Nassar 
on the throne in his stead. They called a council to discuss ways 
and means whereby they should not only retain all they possessed, 
but if possible, even derive additional benefits by the change of 
rulers ; in case the revolutionary nobles succeeded. The chances 
in favor of the nobles, were considered strong enough to de- 
termine the council to resort to the policy of dividing its forces 
between the supporters of Izates and those of Jesus. 

In view of the fact that Izates, King of Adiabene, had em- 
braced Judaism and that the Jewish community of that Province 
was very large, influential and wealthy, that community was re- 
garded as a very important ‘‘Wing of the Temple of Jerusalem.^’ 

The chief priests and elders ot this “ Wing,” had worked hard 
to persuade Izates to make an attempt to wrest Palestine from the 
Romans, to establish a Jewish Kingdom and to restore the As- 
moneans to the throne of David and Solomon; under the pro- 
tectorate of Adiabene. They informed Izates that their seers had 
foretold that the Messiah would fly or swoop down from a “ Wing 
of the Temple ” to conquer the enemies of Israel and to restore 
the dominion to the house of Judah. Izates was much elated 
because he was the temporal ruler of this “ Wing,” as also at the 
prospect of becoming a conquering Messiah for his adopted co- 
religionists. But the pagan population of Adiabene would not 
be persuaded that it was their duty to sacrifice their lives and 
wealth in a struggle to establish and maintain an independent 
kingdom for a people whose creed they suspected to be inimical 
to the welfare of the peoples of other religions. 

Izates had convened a council of the principal officers and 
nobles of the realm, to request their support and co-operation. 


The third tEMPTATiON. 


355 


But the Minister of War had replied : If the Jews want an inde- 
pendent kingdom, why do they not build ships of war and for- 
tresses, and maintain armies of soldiers that are Jews ? It would 
be utterly vain for us to waste life and treasure in an attempt to 
establish an independent State for the descendants of a race who 
record of themselves; that they had six hundred thousand fight- 
ing men all armed when they left Egypt, that as soon as these 
Israelitish warriors learned that a company of Egyptians were in 
pursuit, they were ready to surrender without resistance and fled 
across a morass which had to be miraculously dried to insure 
their escape. With about one sixtieth of that number of warriors 
from our people, continued the War Minister, I would undertake 
not only to conquer, but also to hold Egypt. 

In later periods of their national existence, said an old Gen- 
eral, they recorded of some of their redoubtable wars and vic- 
tories ; that in the day of battle there was neither a sword nor 
a spear to be found in the hand of any man among the forty 
thousand of Israel.” Also that their enemies were incited by a 
ruse of the Jewish deity to fight and exterminate each other; 
after which the people of Judah came forward and stripped the 
slain of great riches and precious jewels in such quantities, that 
the carrying away of the spoils occupied them three days. 

But, argued Izates, their Jehovah fought for them because 
they were his chosen people. 

Yea, replied one of the irreverent nobles, so they say. But it 
was done by persuading or inciting the short sighted Gentiles to 
make war upon each other for the benefit of Israel. 

This policy, remarked an aged Magi, is all taught in their 
sacred writings and reads thus : Proclaim ye this among the 
Gentiles, prepare war, stir up the mighty men; let all the men of 
war draw near. Haste ye and come all ye heathen ! beat your 
ploughshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. 
Put in the sickle for the harvest is ripe, come, tread ye, for the 
winepress is full, and the heavens and the earth shall shake. But 

'I , 


lESAT NASSAl^. 


35<5 

the Jehovah will be the refuge, harbor and stronghold unto 
Israel ; for whom the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, 
and the hills flow with milk.” 

It is utterly impossible, said the Prime Minister, to make this 
people independent. A creed that teaches its adherents to ex- 
pect miraculous interpositions for their support, maintenance and 
ultimate triumph, necessitates their becoming an indolent people, 
dependent for subsistance on the labors of the nations among 
whom they settle, and consequently totally self seeking in all 
their dealings with those that till the soil, raise the fruits and the 
cattle, work the mines, build the dwellings, sail the seas and 
fight the battles. 

Yea, replied the Magi, and so long as the creed of Judaism 
which destroys the noble instinct of self reliance in man, is pro- 
pogated in this world, so long will the nations of the earth be 
burdened with a community whose members will be consumers 
but never developers of the resources of a State. 

This disobliging spirit of the nobles was remembered against 
them by Izates, who avenged himself by a system of oppressive 
encroachments on the rights of his Gentile subjects. 

Such were the relations between Izates and the nobles when 
the members of the councils of the ‘‘Wing of the Temple” 
appointed some of their number to join the party of disaffected 
nobles. The . men selected for this undertaking professed to 
have thrown off the popular prejudices, restrictions and narrow 
nationalism of Judaism. 

A large number of the laity of the Jews were very much dis- 
contented with the religious spy duties imposed on them by their 
rabbis and teachers. The privileges and immunities they enjoyed 
among the Gentiles did not compensate for the state of abject 
moral slavery in which they were held by the rabbis. For it was 
also a religious obligation on every Jew, to act as a spy on the 
words and actions of his own kindred and co-religionists; in 
order to prevent neglect of the performance of rabbinical laws, 


THE THIRD TEMPTATION. 


357 


and to guard against renunciation of Judaism by the people. 
However, such malcontents did not dare to rebel openly. They 
could only confide their troubles to Gentiles who had sufficient 
tact to give no clue by which a discontented Jew could be con- 
victed by the rabbis. 

It happened, that among the number of prominent Jews, 
chosen by the council of the Wing to join the disaffected 
nobles, there were several who sincerely desired to witness the 
curtailment or overthrow of rabbinical power. This, they hoped 
might be accomplished by Jesus Nassar whose courageous atti- 
tude against the rabbis they greatly admired, but did not dare to 
imitate. 

The representatives of the anti-rabbinical tyranny party with 
the politicians, came to Jesus and made their proposals to him. 
They were agreed with the pagan nobles to place Jesus on the 
throne of Adiabene, and had come to offer him the support of 
their party. 

The politicians bargained to retain the privileges and immuni- 
ties which their co-religionists enjoyed. But the anti rabbinicals 
said that the party whom they represented, would be willing to 
share the burdens of the State with their pagan fellow citizens if 
they could be released from the tyrannical power of the rabbis. 

The anti-rabbinicals were agreed with the politicians in offer- 
ing their support on the condition that, when he was King of 
Adiabene, Jesus should wrest Palestine from Rome by force or 
policy, and establish it as an independent Jewish Kingdom under 
the protectorate of Adiabene ; to which policy the dominion of 
Parthia would surely lend its support. 

The politicians proposed that this new Kingdom should be 
inaugurated on the principles of King Solomon’s, viz. : that the 
Chief of the State be also the Head of the Church supported by 
the priesthood ; and the High Priest was not to exercise authority 
over the king and politicians of the State. 

And we shall have a greater than Solomon with us, said the 


lESAT NASSAR. 


3SS 

anti-rabbinicals ; for although Solomon was a wise chief of the 
State, he was no prophet. But you, Oh Jesus Nassar, will also 
teach the people the way of righteousness, and thus establish the 
Messanic Kingdom. 

Then the politicians and anti-rabbinicals told Jesus that if he 
promised to carry out their policy during his administration as 
king, they would immediately send their messengers to charge 
the Jews in all lands to work in his interests and in support of 
such an enterprise. They further stated, that the party of the 
Jews, who were more or less dissatisfied with the tyrannical rule of 
the rabbis was much larger than those ecclesiastics had any idea. 
These would be instructed to be on guard that the policy of the 
government of Jesus should receive no check nor injuiry from the 
rabbis who considered themselves as the ‘^corner Stone” of 
Judaism. 

In reply, Jesus explained to the politicans and anti-rabbinicals 
that the political independence of a religious sect which was 
composed of an admixture of every race on the earth, could not 
be effected for it by alien armies, nor maintained by alien sup- 
port; but must be evolved and developed from a power within 
itself. Such power Judaism did not possess, because its ideal 
Messianic Kingdom, whose people were to be maintained in 
ease and luxury as a reward for their religious belief, was a vain 
chimera and a delusion, for the realization of which there was no 
room in the infinite universe, which is the workshop of the 
Creator, the All-Father and his children. 

But the anxious politicians argued that, if agained restored, 
the Jewish community would this time surely become a credit to 
its champions and a model nation. 

Then Jesus answered that he would neither promote conspiri- 
cies, nor crown rebellion against the governments of the nations 
under the pretext of establishing a Kingdom of righteousness. 
For no man could tempt God to approve of injustice, by a prom- 


THE THIRD TEMPTATION. 359 

ise to establish thereby a Kingdom that would acknowledge His 
supremacy. 

However, the politicians and anti-rabbinicals with the pagan 
nobles, would not renounce the project, but argued so plausibly 
with the Lady Salome and with her sons James and John, that 
these his kinsfolk were quite won over, and promised to persuade 
Jesus to reconsider and to favor the scheme. 

The Lady Salome labored earnestly to gain the Lady Marya 
over to assist in convincing Jesus that a Kingdom of Good could 
be established by him if he would accept the throne and the gov- 
ernment offered to him. But the Lady Marya refused to join 
them, because her faith in her Son’s unselfish and godlike wisdom 
was absolute; and the utmost that her sister and nephews gained^ 
was her promise not to dissuade Jesus from the project if they 
should succeed in inducing him to reconsider it. 

Lady Salome, accompanied by her two sons James and John 
and also by Peter, came to Jesus. Believing that his sphere for 
doing good would be greatly enlarged, and his power to suppress 
evil greatly augumented as King of Adiabene, Salome felt assured 
of success if she could get a hearing. 

She began by saying that she had come to make a request 
of Jesus, and then secured his promise to hear and consider the 
matter as impartially as though it concerned total strangers. 

In eloquent terms, and as they believed, with convincing 
logical arguments, did this loving, loyal kinswoman and also the 
three disciples set forth all the advantages to be gained for 
Adiabene, and eventually for the world in general if Jesus would 
consent to be King. 

The Lord heard all, and answered with patience and love. 
He showed them how no king nor government could insure abso- 
lute liberty, prosperity and happiness to the people of a State by 
the best laws that were ever enacted, nor by their rigid enforce- 
ment. And he explained to them how the best kind of reform in 
government could be effected by voluntary suppression of the 


360 


lESAT NASSAR. 


bad and vicious in the individual, and of the development of a 
sense of justice and humanity. 

Finally the good Lady Salome, thinking that perchance Jesus 
regarded the responsibility as too great to be undertaken by 
himself alone, promised that her two sons James and John 
should unflinchingly support him and his policy through all, and 
at all risks. They were faithful and fearless and brave. Had 
they not been surnamed Sons of Thunder,” on account of their 
stern warlike proclivities? They will support thee, Oh Jesus 
Nassar, one on the right hand and the other on the left of thy 
kingdom ; ” she added as as a last appeal. 

Jesus explained to Salome and to his kinsmen, that they had 
not understood the nature of the request they had made. 
They could indeed support him on the right hand and on the 
left in establishing the kingdom of God in the souls and lives of 
men ; but they must seek the wisdom, grace and strength needed 
for such position from the All Father who alone could grant it. 

Having failed in the mission through Salome and her sons, 
the nobles, politicians and anti-rabbinicals with some of his kins- 
men, agreed upon a stroke of policy which should make Jesus 
their king by force. Without his knowledge, they would warn 
their adherents to be in readiness, gather and concentrate their 
forces, and proclaim Jesus a king. 

But Jesus learned of the plan, and having found refusal and 
expostulations vain, he departed secretly to the mountains where 
Artabanus, King of Parthia, was with his son Vologases, to 
whom the nobles of Adiabene had appealed to dethrone Izates. 

Without endangering the safety of any of the disaffected, 
Artabanus convinced his fief Izates that instead of fearing and 
persecuting his kinsman Jesus as a rival for his throne, he ought 
to honor him as one who had saved his kingdom from civil 
war. 

Crowns and thrones may perish, 

Kingdoms rise and wane, 


THE THIRD TEMPTATION. 




But the Church of Jesus 
Constant will remain ; 

Gates of hell can never 

'Gainst PI is Church prevail ; 
We have Christ’s own promise, 
And that cannot fail. 

Glory, laud and honor 
Unto Christ our King, 

This through countless ages 
Men and angels sing. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXX. Also pages of 
same, 529, 549-556, 562, 563, 565- 


362 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XXXI. 


THE STORM. 

When Peter, James and John realized that their efforts to in- 
duce their Master to become a king were in vain, they agreed to 
follow his advice and request, and return to their former mode of 
life; to continue their labors as physicians and teachers. 

But their adherents, and retainers and servants had been 
permeated with the idea and desire to make Jesus king. They 
had entered with heart and soul into the movement, and were 
not easily persuaded to abandon the hope, and refused to be paci- 
fied. Large numbers of those who from time to time had be- 
come disciples and followers of Jesus, now fell away when they 
discovered that Jesus would never be of any assistance to their 
ambitions for temporal advancement and power. 

Consequently there was a storm of opposition against the 
apostles, which threatened not only to break up the union of the 
community and disperse the adherents of Jesus, but also seriously 
to implicate the apostles as having promoted sedition by their 
sympathy. 

Meanwhile the emissaries of the chief priests and elders were 
busy with their own intrigues; believing the time to be favorable 
to the promotion of such schemes without their being suspected. 
They stirred up wrath and strife by inciting the people to insur- 
rection against the civil governors; while they made it appear 
that the commotions were caused by the followers of Jesus. The 
apostles were thus hard pressed on every hand. 

While Jesus tarried in the North he learned that his disciples 
were greatly hindered and harrassed in their endeavors to resume 
their work; being under suspicion as revolutionists. He re- 
quested King Izates to send a messenger with letters to Herod 
the Tetrarch, to inform him that the apostles had never been 


THE STORM. 363 

guilty of sedition against Herod, and to ask that they be per- 
mitted to resume their former avocations without hindrance. 

The disciples who had tarried in the territory of Philip the 
Tetrarch heard that they would be free to return to their homes 
and pursuits in Galilee; also that Jesus was coming with author- 
ity, having by his influence, teaching and advice prevented dis- 
turbance in Adiabene. They were much perplexed, because 
they feared that the report might be a delusion and a snare. So 
they sent word with all haste to Caeserea Philippi, at which 
place Jesus would tarry awhile on his journey from the North. 
Their messenger reached that city at the same time as Jesus. In 
reply, the Lord sent his disciples word that they need not fear, 
for what they had heard was true, and that his presence among 
his disciples would ensure their safety. 

Then Peter sent and prayed the Lord to give him authority 
to quiet commotions in Galilee, by telling the people in the name 
of Jesus, what had really transpired in the North. He trusted 
by such means to overcome the opposition of the rulers, and also 
the reluctance of the people to be associated with the apostles 
through fear of being suspected of complicity. 

The answer of Jesus was to grant Peter the permission to do 
so. But the chief priests and Pharisees, through secret agents, by 
open denunciations of the apostles as misleaders, and by excom- 
munication of all such as held communication with the disciples, 
still hindered the apostles from resuming their work. 

Peter endeavored to overcome the difflculties by going to the 
public places of gathering for business or amusement, and there 
addressing the people, to acquaint them with the true facts of 
the case. 

But the wily Pharisees were too strong for him. They called 
attention to the fact that Peter could not deny that it had been 
the desire of the apostles to make Jesus a king in the place of 
Izates. They then represented that if such change should be 
effected, the direst misfortunes would overtake Israel ; whom 


3^4 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Jesus and his apostles sought to merge among the heathen, to 
prevent the fulfilment of their holy mission and glorious destiny 
as sovereigns of the world. 

The chief priests pronounced the great ban of the Synagogue 
against all who should have any dealings with Peter, and the ban 
was to effect even those who traded with Peter’s business agents 
and partners. 

This mode of persecution not only hindered the brave Peter 
in his work for the Master, but it also so seriously injured his 
business affairs and connections, that he began to realize that he 
would soon be engulfed in financial ruin. 

At this crisis of affairs the Lord Jesus arrived with a large 
retinue of friends and retainers. He came as master of the situ- 
ation. He would be sustained and supported, not only by Queen 
Helena, King Izates, Prince Monabaz and Herod Antipas, but 
also by Philip the Tetrarch, with whom he had been visiting, and 
in whose dominions he was always welcome and honored. 

Realizing all this, the chief-priests and Pharisees withdrew all 
open opposition, and went to work in accordance with their long 
established policy and ancient adage: ‘Hf we cannot surmount, 
we must undermine.” 

But Jesus and his apostles resumed their work of love; heal- 
ing the sick and teaching of the love of the All-Father every- 
where. 

God sitteth on the water floods ; 

Then doubt and fear no more, 

For He who passed through all the storms 
Has reached the heavenly sho.o, 

And every tempest-driven bark, 

With Jesus for its guide. 

Will soon be moored in harbor calm 
In glory to abide. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXI. 


PUBLIC ENXkY INTO JERUSALEM* 


3<5s 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


PUBLIC ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. 

Some time after these events the people of Adiabene again 
had cause for discontent. King Izates’ bigoted zeal for his creed 
had again made him completely subservient to the chief priests 
and elders, who persuaded him that in ceasing to encroach upon 
the rights of his people, he became neglectful of the laws of 
Jehovah, which commanded the destruction of all idolaters. 

It had also been discovered that Prince Monabaz with other 
members of his family were seriously considering the policy of 
openly renouncing their own religion, and avowing the creed of 
Judaism; as a means whereby to gain such support as would 
secure them certain political advantages w^hich they coveted. 

This exasperated the grandees of Adiabene to such an extent, 
that some of them made a secret alliance with the King of 
Arabia; by w^hose aid they hoped to succeed in forcing Izates to 
cease his persecutions against their religion. 

The King of Arabia complied, and brought an army against 
Izates. But before they came to a decisive battle, the nobles 
who were of the league deserted Izates as they had agreed to do. 

When Izates discovered that the nobles had betrayed him to 
the King of Arabia, he retired into camp and executed the 
nobles whom he found guilty of having formed the alliance 
against him. 

On account of this disturbance. King Izates did not go to 
Jerusalem for the feast of Passover as he had intended to do. 
But Queen Helena went to carry a thank-offering for his victory; 
and she was accompanied by her son Monabaz. 

d'he Essenes had a house of entertainment for their people at 
Bethany ; where lived the Essenes Lazurus, Martha and Mary, 
the friends of Jesus. Another, on the Mount of Olives had been 


IEsXt NASSAll. 


^66 

provided by the families of Jesus and his Galilean disciples for 
the tender of hospitality to Galileans who visited Jerusalem. 
This place was called Mount Viri Galilei. To this house and to 
Bethany Jesus often resorted when he visited Judea. ^ 

The Mount of Olives was studded with the summer houses 
and gardens of wealthy nobles. The principal of these was that 
of Prince Monabaz. The chief-priests and elders had, among 
themselves, named his place Beth-Phage, which signifies ‘‘House 
of the Unripe Fruit;” on account of his tardiness and indecision 
about formally forsaking the faith of his race and country, to 
adopt that of Judaism. 

To this beauiful summer house, situated on the east side of 
Olivet, came Prince Monabaz with his Mother, Queen Helena, 
and here they stayed to avoid the bustle of the city consequent 
on the days preceding the feast. 

Jesus had now been for some time in Perea, and while there, 
had received a message from Martha and Mary of Bethany to 
inform him of the serious illness of Lazurus, and to ask him to 
come over and heal him. 

The resuscitation of Lazurus maddened the chief priests and 
Pharisees. In special council they determined to put Jesus to 
death as soon as possible; either secretly or openly, because 
through his works and doctrines the people would soon all be 
led to believe that he, and not ecclesiastical Israel, was the Son 
of God. 

But the question remained, how to accomplish the act ? So 
often had they attempted it and had failed every time. And now 
that Queen Helena and King Izates were convinced that Jesus 
had resolutely refused to accept the throne of Adiabene, they 
would not easily be persuaded to withdraw their protection from 
him. Besides, was not Prince Monabaz, who had always been 
a staunch friend of Jesus, and who at heart was his disciple, even 
now at his summer house on Olivet, and in daily communication 


PUGLIC ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. 3^7 

and companionship with Jesus ? It would not be safe, and would 
be quite useless to attempt any open attack. 

Caiaphas, who still was High Priest, then spoke and said : It 
is written that wisdom is better than strength and than weapons 
of war. This has been the successful policy of Israel through 
the ages ; and you all know our adage that, It is better that 
one man should die, than that the community should perish.” 
If Jesus lives, Judaism must perish. Therefore he must die. In 
Prince Monabaz, that unripe fruit, you can see only a friend of 
Jesus. I see farther. My father and brother-in-law, Annas and 
Eleazar now here present, have secured the co-operation of such 
of our co-religionists as are held to be liberal minded, and these 
have brought Monabaz to the verge of embracing Judaism 
openly for worldly interest. But at the same time that they 
labored to secure him for Israel through his unsatisfied ambi- 
tions, they labored none the less through agents in their pay or 
power, to instil doubts into his mind, as to whether Jesus was 
really the Great Deliverer who had been expected by all nations. 

'Pherefore, said Eleazar, we must watch for opportunity to 
utilize this doubt so wisely and skilfully instilled into this Un- 
ripe Fruit; this Asses.’ Colt on whom we have not yet sat, and 
who is tied v/here two ways meet ; tied through his mother and 
by interest to the way of Judaism, and tied by conviction to the 
way of the Essene faith with J esus as its reformer. 

Have you any definite plans for immediate action ? inquired 
one of the council. 

Yea, replied Annas, we have. Pilate is at present absent from 
the City, so our proceedings can be summary. Our Siccarii 
also have their orders to watch for an opportunity to find Jesus 
alone, or insufficiently guarded. 

Nicodemus, who was present at the council, sent a warning to 
Jesus to be on his guard, and also urged him to assure himself of 
Monabaz’ honor in friendship, as between men and kinsmen, ir- 
respective of all religious beliefs for or against the mission of Jesus. 


3(38 


iesIt nassAr. 


Jesus who was at Bethany, conferred with his trusted dis- 
ciples, and sent two of them, Peter and John, to the summer 
house of Monabaz to secure his promise faithfully to protect 
Jesus during his stay, irrespective of all the interests that he had 
in gaining the support of Judaism. 

Monabaz readily gave his word of honor that he never would 
betray Jesus. 

It was further agreed that they should all join to escort 
Queen Helena into Jerusalem from Monabaz’ summer house, 
on the morning of the Eve of the Passover. That day she was 
to make her public entry in order to eat the Passover at her 
palace in the City ; and which was now being ceremonially pre- 
pared for that supper. 

In accordance with the customs of the country, those of the 
pilgrims who had arrived, used to go in parties a little way out 
of the City to meet and welcome the incoming pilgrims. Both 
parties carried standards, banners, drums and cymbals; the 
sounds of which blended pleasingly with the sacred chants of 
the pilgrims. 

The news that Helena would make a public entry into the 
City was soon circulated. The Queen and her sons were re- 
spected for their many charities in Jerusalem. Consequently a 
large number of Jews as well as the proselytes and other visitors 
from the north made ready to go out to meet them, and to give 
them a right royal welcome. 

It likewise became known that Jesus with his people would 
accompany the Queen. The laity who had partaken of the larger, 
nobler generosity of Jesus decided also to go forth and give him 
special welcome. 

Having learned of this intention through their spies, Caiaphas, 
Annas and Eleazer at once conceived a plan whereby to make 
this act of friendly courtesy from Jesus to Queen Helena appear 
as a subtle ruse to test the strength of his popularity as a candi- 
date for the office of king of a restored Davidic kingdom. 


public entry Into Jerusalem. 369 

Bar Abbas, now chief of a large and formidable band of 
Sicarii, was in the employ and pay of the High Priest. With his 
robbers, he came up to Jerusalem regularly at the feasts as though 
for worship, but in reality fo commit murders, robberies or insur- 
rections, as the chief priests and rulers should direct. 

Caiaphas, Annas and Eleazar gave him orders to have his 
men in readiness to join and mingle with the different parties who 
would go out of the City on Sunday morning, the Eve of Passover 
to meet and welcome Queen Helena with Prince Monabaz and 
Jesus Nassar. 

Though bold and daring, Bar Abbas had learned prudence. 
Consequently he kept secret from his band, the fact that Jesus 
would be of the party, and informed them instead, that he had 
received some special intelligence in connection with Queen 
Helena’s public entry which they were to keep secret. When he 
had secured their pledge of secrecy he told them that King Izates 
had arrived privately, and that he would enter Jerusalem with his 
mother and brother, Monabaz. The chief priests desired to pay 
him special homage ; therefore they — the robbers — were to carry 
and wave palm brances, which salutation would doubtless be 
imitated by others as a greeting to royalty. When the royal party 
should approach and be greeted by the multitudes with the songs 
of Hazzen and Hallel the robbers were to add : Blessed is the King 
that cometh ! Even the King of Israel, and other similar ex- 
pressions. Bar Abbas explained, that as a goodly portion of dis- 
persed Israel lived in the dominions of Izates, he was in fact a 
king of Israel. Such acknowledgement would flatter and please 
him and his mother, and insure further favors for the priests and 
Temple of Jerusalem. 

From the earliest ages of its existence, Jerusalem has been a 
place of sacred shrines for many races and nations. One of the 
shrines much visited by the eastern Aryans at this time, was the 
tomb of Melchisadek, ancient King of Uru ’Salim, or Town of 

24 


lESAT NASSAti. 


Peace. This shrine was known as Ras or Rais il Adameen Chief 
or Head of the upright ones. 

On account of the great heats of summer and the heavy rains 
of winter, the season of spring was the most favorable for travel. 
For such reasons the city of Jerusalem was filled with large num- 
bers of pilgrims during that festive season of the year. 

The morning of that memorable day dawned clear and rosy 
and dewy. The blue of the sky was soft and tender, the hue of 
the sunlight, rosy ; the odor of the green growing wheat, fresh 
and sweet ; the perfumes exhaled by millions of wild flowers of 
every color and shade growing on the grass covered hills and 
valleys, was delicate and most agreeable. The gentle breeze 
playing among the tree tops caused the leaves to cast flickering 
lights and shadows on the grass beneath. The musical hum and 
buzz of summer insects mingled with the twitter and chirp of 
of birds, the occasional caw of the clever crows as they flew 
overhead in search of some unguarded field of peas to plunder, 
the notes of the shepherd’s flute as he led a few sheep or goats 
to pasture, a snatch of song of the muleteer and the tinkle of the 
bells on the mules as they arrived bringing additional pilgrims to 
the already crowded city; now and then the distant crowing of 
a cock or the bark of a dog, were the sounds heard about the 
surroundings. But on account of the exceeding clearness of the 
atmosphere and the hilly features of the country, cut by gorges 
rather than valleys, all sounds, which under other conditions 
might have been harsh or abrupt, became softened, melodious 
and harmonious. 

In the midst of such surroundings stood the city of Jerusa- 
lem, crowning a group of hills. Its strongly fortified battle- 
mented walls, turrets and castles were built of large blocks of 
white limestone which had grown grey with the years ; while the 
flat roofed and domed houses and palaces were constructed of the 
native pink and white marble. All this mass of stone was re- 
lieved here and there by the green, feathery crowns of the date 


PUBLIC ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. 37! 

palms, the soft, aesthetic green of the olive trees, the rich emer- 
ald of the pomegranate trees with their bright scarlet blossoms, 
the graceful, sweet-scented stone pines, the stately tapering, 
dark-green cypress trees and the climbing grape vines in the gar- 
dens and open courts. 

Almost every nationality and race on earth was represented 
by the pilgrims and visitors to be seen in the streets of Jerusa- 
lem, and the variety of their costumes differed not only as to 
nationality, but also as distinctive of castes and creeds. 

Soon after the sun had risen, numerous little parties of women 
with children, of non-Judaic race or creed, went out of the city 
and seated themselves under the trees, to enjoy the beauties of 
nature, and to amuse themselves by looking at the parties of 
pilgrims as they issued from the city gates with banners and 
standards ; with the beat of drum and clashing of cymbals, with 
sacred song and religious dance. Behind the men walked the 
pilgrim women, chanting in weird yet strangely sweet tones. This 
would change to a song of welcome and a chorus of hallels as 
soon as they encountered the party of pilgrims they had gone 
out to meet. Such parties were continually arriving from the 
towns and villages, north, south, east and west. 

At the sounds which heralded the approach of such parties, 
the children and young people usually rushed from under the 
shade of the trees to the roadside, and climbed the low stone 
fences which skirted some of the fields and gardens. 

But the greatest number of spectators had taken up all avail- 
able points on the east side of the city. From the gates, down 
the slope of Moriah, across the gorge or valley of the Kedron, 
up the Mount of Olives, everywhere could be seen the respect- 
fully loving and expectant countenances of the women and the 
eager smiling faces of the children. The beauty, variety of color 
and grace of the costumes and ornaments, as well as of the 
wearers, added a wondrous charm to the enchanting scenes of 
nature. 


' f / 


372 


iESAT NASSAk. 


One name was on every tongue. Jesus 1 the kindly teacher, 
the great physician, the faithful, loving, helpful friend of the 
common people. What had he not suffered for their sakes since 
they had last seen him! One desire animated young and old, rich 
and poor, learned and illiterate, wise and simple. Only to get near 
enough when he should pass by with his royal kinsfolk, to see 
again his blessed face, to distinguish his loving, answering smile 
as they gave him the loving greeting of loyal hearts. 

There was a sudden stir, as it were of all nature animate and 
inanimate. No one could tell what had caused it. Hearts al- 
most ceased pulsating for a moment, and then beat with re- 
doubled force. All eyes turned toward the summit of the Mount 
of Olives, and then to the eastern gates of the city. Wide and 
large as these were, they were not roomy enough to pass the 
hundreds that crowded behind one another, bearing aloft ban- 
hers, standards and palm branches ; striking their cymbals and 
drums gently and rhythmically and chanting softly. Round the 
northeast and southeast angles of the city wall came similar par- 
ties who all joined forces as they descended the slopes of 
Moriah. 

They come! they come! The Lord Jesus is with them! 
were at the same time, the exclamations rapidly and joyfully 
passed from one to another along the line, from the summit of 
Olivet down to the valley of the Kedron. 

Eagerly did the people press forward and line the road along 
which the royal procession would travel. Mothers held up their 
little children and infants that the atmosphere which would be 
sanctified by the presence of Jesus, might reach and bless them. 
The bigger children climbed into the trees bordering the road, 
and upon the rocks, and lined the road several deep in front of 
the older people. 

Put the children to the fore where the Lord can see them ! 
The Lord loves the children ! Let his hallowing glance rest on 
them ! He will bless them as he passes ! Such were the eager 


PUBLIC ENTRY INTO JERUSVLEM 373 

exclamations and orders of the parents and guardians of the lit- 
tle ones whom Jesus always loved, and blessed and received. 

And now the expected procession came into view. First 
walked the armed guards and retainers bearing the standards 
and banners of the royal families of Parthia, Adiabene and 
Kharax ; all attired in gorgeous, glittering raiment. Then, 
seated on snow-white steeds, rode the Queen Helena, Prince 
Monabaz and the Lord Jesus, abreast; the Queen in the middle. 
Following these, came a great company of Essenes and disciples 
of Jesus, all robed in white, and on foot. Behind them came 
many companies of pilgrims from Bethany and neighboring vil- 
lages, from Jericho and Perea beyond Jordan. Each of these 
companies carried its Avaving banners and standards, its cymbals 
and drums ; striking the latter musically and rhythmically, and 
chanting in rich, sweet tones, praises to God for all they had 
seen and heard and learned of the Great Master Jesus. 

The procession came along the southern slope of the Mount of 
Olives, and as the royal party approached and halted at the spot 
whence the view of the entire city of Jerusalem is perfect and 
beautiful, the foremost of the welcoming parties from Jerusalem 
met them. 

As they recognized Jesus along the route, the surrounding 
hills echoed to the welcoming songs and joyful hallels of the 
many hundreds of women and children. Victoriously clashed 
and clanged the cymbals ; triumphant rolled the beat of drums, 
gracefully waved the banners and palm branches. Majestic and 
awe inspiring swelled the hymns of praise to the Almighty; 
grand, heart-stirring were the shouts of hazzen and of welcome to 
the Great Master Jesus. 

The royal personages acknowledged these demonstrations of 
welcome with courtly grace and courtesy. 

As Jesus beheld their eager, happy faces, and listened to the 
enthusiastic greetings, his heart was stirred to its depths by the 
love that is akin to pain. His eyes filled and overfloAved with 


374 


lESAT NASSAR. 


tears of sympathetic pity for the people of Jerusalem. Ah, this 
laity, who was so oppressed under the galling yoke and cruel rule 
of their priests. How glad they were to see and welcome him, 
the only One who had ever understood them, sympathized with 
them and lovingly helped them. 

Suddenly, as they neared the base of the Mount of Olives, a 
discord seemed to enter the harmony of the welcome. Here and 
there began to mingle some loud shouts of : Blessed is the King 
that cometh ! Even the King of Israel ! Blessed is the King- 
dom that cometh ! Of our Father David ! 

The disciples regarded each other with troubled countenances. 
Was it an outburst of imprudent enthusaism, or was the enemy at 
work ? 

As the procession wended its way, continually swelled by the 
numerous parties who had come from the City, these strangely 
worded shouts increased. The multitude grew enthusiastic, and 
cut down branches from the trees, which they waved and then 
threw down before the approaching guests; while others took off 
their loose cloaks and flung them down to serve as a carpet 
under the hoofs of the snow white steeds that carried the royal 
visitors. 

As the procession passed through the gates and along the 
streets, the people of the city noticed the peculiar wording of 
some of the shouts and began to inquire who it was that had ar- 
rived to be thus addressed. 

The Queen Helena was welcomed and escorted to her palace 
with much enthusiasm. The police had received special orders 
to arrest every person who should attempt to create the slightest 
disturbance, or whose actions or language might lead to riot. 
Consequently when they noticed the seditious shouts of: King 
of Israel: Kingdom of David!” the police quietly arrested here 
and there some men who uttered such expressions, and locked 
them up in prison until the Governor Pilate should return to the 
City. 


PUBLIC ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. 


375 


After they had entered the palace, Queen Helena invited 
Jesus to celebrate the Passover. But the Lord courteously re- 
fused; Helena however pressed him, and argued that it was a 
sacred and joyful duty to commemorate the wonderful event. 

Jesus asked her the question which he put to all proselytes in 
regard to their obligation to commemorate the Passover ; What 
mean ye by this service ?’’ 

Their ancestors had no connection whatever with the residence 
of the Israelites in Egypt, nor with their departure. Therefore 
for them it was not only an entirely meaningless service, but also 
inhuman and sinful to rejoice over the disasters, ruin and death 
that one community in by-gone ages, had been instrumental in 
bringing upon a people among whom they had lived for several 
centuries in prosperity; even if they had suffered bondage for a 
season. 

Further, although the ancestors of Queen Helena had caused 
the afflictions of war and captivity to come upon other races, and 
had suffered the same from alien nations during the ages ; yet no 
hate nor enmity against each other was fostered or transmitted 
from generation to generation among those people. 

When they were alone, Monabaz said to Jesus : I hold the 
same views as you do of the Passover. I once endeavored to 
convince my mother and my brother Izates of the utter incon- 
gruity and folly of such commemorations on our part. My 
attempt was worse than useless, and I now know my own interests 
too well even to have approved of your arguments in presence of 
the Queen. I would advise you also for your own safety, not to 
speak again in her hearing, against any of the doctrines and cere- 
monials which she has adopted; for you will only do your own 
cause much harm. This religion which my Mother and Izates 
have embraced, is the most fearful and powerful of any I wot of; 
for it can transform free born souls into abject slaves. The 
Queen will surely tell the chief priests what you have said, and I 
fear for the consequences to you. 


37 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Then Jesus left Monabaz and went to the Palace Grapte 
where the disciples were to be gathered to meet him. When it 
was near the sunset time, he went with them out of the city unto 
Bethany. 

They came with rejoicing, they came with delight. 

Nature was waking and glad and bright. 

Hearts overflowing gathered that day, 

With love and with rapture the Lord to pray. 

To welcome our Redeemer, to tell of his love, 

To Praise the Lord Jesus and God above. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXII. 


THE BARREN FIG TREE. 


377 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 


THE BARREN FIG TREE. 

After Jesus had left the Queen Helena and Monabaz to 
meet his disciples at the palace Grapte, he went to the Sanctuary 
which his grand parents had dedicated for the use of proselytes 
and Gentiles. 

While in the north, he had been informed that the temple 
markets of Annas and his sons had again been established on the 
premises. He now found that although the day’s traffic was 
over, yet the place had not been cleared of the stalls, stands and 
other furniture of those who traded on the premises, even though 
it was the Eve of the Passover, and the City crowded with wor- 
shippers, who were not permitted to enter further than the Court 
of the Gentiles of which this place formed a part. 

Jesus was now fully convinced that all the learning and re- 
ligious professions of Ecelesiastical Israel was nothing more than 
a fair- seeming covering for men who were totally barren of any 
desire or intention to bear the fruits of common honesty and 
justice. He therefore determined that the sanctuary and court, 
dedicated by his grandparents, should also bear no more financial 
fruit for the chief priests and other temple officials. 

Jesus had sent instructions to his agents to prepare the legal 
documents which should deprive the Jewish priesthood of the 
custody of this sanctuary, and transfer the premises to the cus- 
tody of the Essenes who would carry out the wishes of his grand- 
parents. 

On the following day, when Jesus came from Bethany into 
the city with his disciples, he signed those documents which had 
been prepared in accordance with his order. 

In the deeds which transferred the custody of these premises, 
a special clause was inserted, whereby the Jewish priesthood was 


37 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


forever debarred from deriving a pecuniary income or material 
j)rofits of any kind from this sanctuary, and the Temple Court 
of the Gentiles was cleansed a second time. 

To this part of the Temple Jesus came daily to teach; and 
hither also came the sick to receive his advice, for the premises 
adjoined those of the Beth Zaitha. 

By such transfer, the sanctuary and its court were so effec- 
tively protected by the Essenes against the chief priests and 
elders of the Jews, that even after the death and ascension of 
Jesus, the Apostles Peter, John and others, resorted thither daily 
without fear of molestation, to teach the gospel of Jesus and to 
heal the sick. 


Nothing but leaves ! Now Jesus grieves 
O’er years of wasted life ; 

O’er sins indulged while conscience slept, 
O’er vows and promises unkept, 

And reaps from years of strife, 

Nothing but leaves 

Ah ! who shall thus the Master meet, 

And bring but leaves ? 

Ah ! who shall at our Saviour’s feet. 

Before the awful judgment seat, 

Lay down for golden sheaves, 

Nothing but leaves ? Nothing but leaves. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXIII. 


THE GREAT TRAITOR. 


379 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 


THE GREAT TRAITOR. 

Every morning Jesus came into the city accompanied by his 
disciples and retainers, and at eventide they went out either to 
Mount Viri Galilei or to Bethany. 

During the day they taught the people in the Court of the 
Gentiles or ministered to the sick in the Beth Zaitha. These 
always came in large numbers from the surrounding hamlets and 
villages whenever they heard that Jesus was in Jerusalem. 

The Lord was aware that the chief priests and Pharisees had 
determined to assassinate him if they could. He therefore 
walked no more openly as heretofore in the garb of a prince with 
his disciples and retainers. But he wore the same outer gar- 
ment, or white woolen cloak of the Essenes, as the rest of his 
company. 

These cloaks were very wide and very long, reaching down 
to the ankles in length and wide enough to wind at least twice 
around the wearer. A large hood attached to this outer garment 
covered the head, and a long soft white cloth worn under the 
hood could be drawn over the face so as to leave no feature 
but the eyes visible. 

Finding that they could not waylay Jesus to put him to 
death by assassination on his travels between the city and the 
places where he spent the nights, on account of not being able 
to distinguish him from his companions, the chief priests re- 
sorted to the other plan which they had formulated. 

Annas, Eleazar and Caiaphas visited the Queen Plelena and 
Monabaz. In the course of conversation they manifested 
a most friendly interest and sympathy for the King Izates in his 
recent political troubles with the nobles of his kingdom. They 
lauded the pious zeal which led him even to risk the loss of his 


380 


lESAT NASSAR. 


throne, to promote the cause of the holy religion of Israel. 
Very skilfully they expressed to Monabaz their grateful appre- 
ciation of his generous assistance to his brother and to Israel, in 
that he did not espouse the cause of the dissatisfied nobles and 
other pagans of the realm, although they were his kinsmen and 
clansmen. 

They flattered Helena more openly. With many fulsome 
compliments, they said that the noble and righteous conduct of 
her sons was the natural result of the good influence of the Queen 
mother’s faithful observance of Jewish moral laws. 

Helena’s great ambition to be a leader of men, was only 
equalled by her inordinate desire to be counted as the most pious 
woman of the age. She was therefore well pleased to find that 
wise and learned pontiffs so thoroughly understood and appre- 
ciated her rare qualities. 

These preliminaries satisfactorily disposed of, the three con- 
spirators proceeded to the main business of their visit. 

Can you give us any information, oh gracious Queen and 
noble Prince, about the disturbance among the people, that 
either accompanied or went out to welcome your royal highness 
when you entered the City on the eve of the passover ? asked 
Caiaphas. 

Monabaz replied that he had neither witnessed nor heard 
of any disturbance. 

It should rather be termed the sign or beginning of a seditious 
movement, said Annas. We are most anxious to ascertain the 
truth of the matter; so that we may take the necessary pre- 
cautions against any trouble for ourselves with the Roman 
authorities. 

It is probably also part of a deep conspiracy against King 
Izates, added Eleazar. 

At this Helena became interested. Speak to us plainly, she 
said, for we know naught of the matter. 

We heard that the Roman police arrested a number of men 


THE GREAT traitor. 


Out of the procession on that day. They are accused of having 
used such words of welcome as though a King of Israel had 
arrived. Also such expressions as only those who had cause 
to expect a speedy restoration of a Davidic kingdom, would 
dare to utter, replied Caiaphas. 

It is true that we heard such expressions, said Monabaz, and 
we wondered what could be the meaning; as there was no king 
with us. But with our Queen Mother and our kinsman Jesus 
Nassar, we concluded that probably some of the people had mis- 
taken one of us for our brother King Izates, and desired to do 
him honor for his favors to his Israelitish subjects. The de- 
monstration was ill advised, but we trust that no harm will befall 
the men who have been arrested, beyond a caution not to allow 
enthusaism to overcome prudence. 

I endeavored to ascertain the truth of the matter from the 
men under arrest, but the Roman authorities give us no opportu- 
nity to have private speech of them. However we found some 
who had been in the throng and they tell a strange tale, said 
Eleazar. 

But, interrupted Annas, having heard that Jesus Nassar had 
acted dutifully by our gracious Queen and the King Izates, and 
had refused to join, the rebels against their anointed ruler, we 
doubted whether any credence should be given to the word of 
those men. 

Helena inquired what was the tale, whereupon Caiaphas, 
Annas and Eleazar looked at each other as though reluctant to 
enter upon a painful subject. 

Caiaphas spoke first. Do not. the territories of Philip the 
Tetrarch and of King Abia, of the Arabians, lie between the 
former kingdom of Judah and Adiabene the present land of 
Israel’s dispersed ? 

Helena admitted that geographically it was even so. 

Philip the Tetrarch had alway been a friend and ally of the 
Arabian, remarked Annas. 


382 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Monabaz answered that Philip had always been at peace with 
his neighbors ; being a man of moderation and quietness, who 
ruled his people with justice and kindness and was faithful to 
his chosen friends. 

The best beloved of whom is your Highnesses kinsman Jesus 
Nassar, said Eleazar with a peculiar glance and emphasis. 

To whose interests he is indeed more devoted than perchance 
a blood relation would be, added Caiaphas. 

Monabaz glanced uneasily at his mother. He feared she 
might understand this as a reflection on her own vacillating 
friendship for her kinsman. 

Peradventure as Philip hath no sons, he intendeth to be- 
queath his tetrarchy to his beloved friend Jesus Nassar, said 
Annas with a thoughtful mien, as though trying to solve a 
problem. 

But meanwhile assists him to usurp the rights of others with 
safety, added Eleazar with a peculiar laugh. 

Whose rights? asked Helena suspiciously. 

The rights of the lawful successors to the throne of Israel and 
Judah, the kingdom founded by our father David, and which 
it is rumored Jesus wants to obtain and add to the kingdom of 
Adiabene under himself, replied Eleazar. The reason for his re- 
fusal to head the rebellious nobles of Adiabene, as I understand, 
was that he judged that the auspicious hour had not yet arrived. 

Nay, said Monabaz, I pray you not to fret yourselves, my 
good friends. Jesus Nassar hath no ambition to secure temporal 
power. You are in error and unjustly suspicious. Jesus seekelh 
but to heal the sick and to teach the ignorant. 

And to overthrow and destroy the power and divine authority 
of our holy priesthood and religion; so that he may lead the 
people astray to believe that in the sight of Jehovah, the common 
people are of equal value with their appointed rulers and priests, 
said Caiaphas angrily. 

Annas smiled suavely at Helena and Monabaz, as he added : 


GREAT T.RA1T0R. 


3Sj 

See you not my noble patrons and friends, that one who striveth 
to usurp the lords spiritual, prepareth but the way to dethrone 
the lords temporal with greater security and success ; since he 
will have the people with him. 

Helena and Monabaz both expressed their convictions that 
the three chief priests were mistaken, and that Jesus was a most 
godly man and a great physician sent by the Almighty to help 
the people. 

If the people regard him only as such, wherefore did the 
nobles of Adiabene not elect you, oh Prince Monabaz, to sit on 
the throne in the i)lace of your brother? You, oli generous 
patron have not yet either secretly nor openly embraced our holy 
religion. Why then did not the people at least pay you the 
honor to make you the first offer of the throne, even on their 
own conditions ? 

Caiaphas and Annas watched Monabaz, and saw that Eleazar’s 
crafty question had made an impression, spite of the prince’s 
effort to appear unconcerned as he replied: But all these things 
are mere speculations; then wherefore should they trouble us. 

Because it is our duty to insure the peace and safety of Israel 
in the lands whither the Lord hath scattered us for our trans- 
gressions, said Caiaphas with unction. It was told us that Jesus 
Nassar only delayed his acceptance of the throne of Adiabene. 
It is said that he made a secret alliance with Philip and with the 
Arabian king who are to assist him to become ruler of Adiabene 
and also to seize the Holy Land. We were informed that this 
was the meaning of the shouts that welcomed the “King of 
Israel” and “kingdom of David that cometh.” It was a test of 
the strength and popularity of the movement in Judea. 

Helena’s fears were aroused, and she asked Annas for his 
advice in the matter. But Monabaz, while acknowledging their 
pious zeal in behalf of his brother, insisted that the chief priests 
were needlessly alarmed by the misrepresentations of enthusiasts 
or mischief breeders. 


3 % 


lEsir NA^SAR. 


Annas assured them that his earnest desire was to secure in- 
disputable proof that Jesus was as loyal to his royal kinsfolk as 
was his own family. 

Eleazar suggested that since the men now under arrest would 
certainly be examined as soon as Pilate returned to the city, 
Monabaz should refrain from any prejudicial interference in the 
matter. If he withdrew his protection from Jesus, these pro- 
moters of sedition would be frightened and confess the truth. 

Put, replied Monabaz, we gave Jesus our word of honor to 
protect him as long as we stayed, against any attempts on his 
life and liberty. How then can we act thus treacherously ? We 
would be forever disgraced to be known as a liar, by Jesus. 

Your Highness need have no scruple in breaking faith with 
Jesus, if he is laboring to lead the people astray from their allegi- 
ance to our holy religion and to their lawful rulers, said Caiaphas. 
Is it not written : Thou shalt not suffer sin upon thy neighbor.’’ 
Is not the people of Israel your neighbor through your righteous 
mother and brother ? It is therefore your duty to help us to 
put away evil men, so that they may not trouble the inheritance 
of Jehovah. If Jesus be truly a man of God, He will surely pro- 
tect him and enable him to show us a sign and a wonder by 
which we will recognize him to be a prophet ; even as Moses 
and Elijah performed miracles as their credentials to the people. 

We cannot break our word, said Monabaz; we must protect 
him so long as we stay this time, and we believe that he will not 
tarry after our departure. 

Stay where ? Did you define the locality ? Was the prom- 
ise given at your summer house or in the City ? The three con- 
spirators eagerly asked these questions. 

Monabaz informed them that he had given the promise at 
his summer house on the occasion of the public entry with the 
Queen on the eve of the feast. No definite time or place had 
been mentioned, but it was naturally understood that Jesus could 
rely on Monabaz’ protection during his visit in Judea. 


THE GREAT TRAITuR. 


385 


It matters not what you may imagine was understood, ex- 
plained Caiaphas. The letter of your promise binds you only to 
your stay in the city of Jerusalem and your summer house. 
Absent yourself from these two places for a few days until we 
shall have investigated the matter. 

We intend to visit our house at Lydda, said Queen Helena, 
and our son will escort us thither. 

It was agreed that Helena should leave Jerusalem on the 
following day. When starting on the journey, Monabaz was to 
pass by the Court of the Gentiles where Jesus would be engaged 
in teaching or in ministering to the sick. Monabaz should in- 
form Jesus that he was escorting his mother to her house at 
Lydda, where she would tarry awhile. 

This action would serve a two fold purpose. It would clear 
Monabaz from any imputation of having deserted Jesus without 
due notice of his departure. Meanwhile in the minds of Jesus 
and his friends it would promote trust and confidence in Monabaz. 

Monabaz did not consent without a struggle with his con- 
science. He was a prince, descendant of an ancient line of mon- 
archs and nobles whose code of honor taught them to face death 
in preference to becoming traitors. He had pledged his word of 
honor as a man, to protect a kinsman and clansman against the 
machinations of these priests of an alien race and creed ; and 
now he was about to act treacherously and betray the confidence 
placed in him. 

The enormity of the dastardly deed shamed Monabaz, and 
he refused to lend his aid to such iniquitous proceedings. But he 
was in the hands of men who had sounded the depths of his 
character. They successfully reopened the wounds caused by 
unsatisfied ambition and self interest. They now appealed to 
that arrogance in man which is born of ignorance and mediocre 
intelligence, the arrogance which expects that the Almighty will 
disarrange the workings of his eternal laws to perform a so-called 

25 


386 


lESAT NASSAR. 


miracle, as a sort of endorsed credential for the benefit of the 
ignorant and of men of lazy brains. 

If Jesus be a man of God, again said Annas, surely no one 
will be able to harm him. But on the contrary some sign will 
be given to convince us that he is indeed the Anointed One. 

Thus argued the three wily chief priests, and Monabaz 
became the Great Traitor. 

On their way home these three worthies congratulated each 
other on the successful result of their diplomacy. 

Said Eleazar : N ow that we have bridled this foal of a she 
ass, Monabaz, we shall surely be able to destroy our enemy and 
persecutor Jesus Nassar. We shall also avenge ourselves upon 
him for dispoiling us of our rights to have our markets in the 
Courts of the Gentiles. 

Thou art right, brother, joined in Caiaphas ; for thou didst 
purchase that property from the community of Israel, and didst 
drive in the nail of proprietorship in accordance with our holy 
law. 

Annas could hardly suppress a chuckle, as he added : This 
Jesus imagined that he could change the grant that our God 
made to his chosen people when he shone forth on Mount 
Paran, that the wealth of the Gentiles was common property 
for the community of Israel, and exposed their wealth for a free 
spoil unto us. Fear not, my Son ; for thou wilt yet recover that 
property from the renegade which thou didst purchase from the 
community. For have not our holy men rightly interpreted the 
law when they decided that the property of all Gentiles is a free 
wilderness, a free lake, in which only those Hebrews can place 
nets who have obtained a right to it from the community. 

During the forenoon of the next day Monabaz dismounted 
at the entrance to the Court of the Gentiles, and leaving his 
horse in charge of his attendants went in to seek Jesus. 

He seemed to be preoccupied in manner as he represented 
himself to be bound on an errand of duty rather than of pleasure. 


THE GREAT TRAITOR. 


3S7 


He added that he would be absent only a few days, and that 
Helena had gone on with her train while he had stopped to see 
Jesus before leaving the city. 

As soon as Monabaz had gone away, the spies detailed for 
that purpose immediately reported the fact to Annas who gave 
the order for his Sicarii to hold themselves in readiness to seize 
Jesus that day. 

When the general public had left the temple precincts after 
the evening sacrifice, Eleazar with some of the rulers and his 
band of Sicarii seized Jesus just as he was about to leave the 
Court of the Gentiles. 

There were only a few disciples present at the time. Peter, 
who was one of them, saw that Annas’ cousin Jacob Levi the 
Mallukh Ha Moveth (angel of death) or chief of the igh Priest’s 
band of Sicarii, had drawn his dagger and was reaching to stab 
Jesus. With a rapid movement, Peter drew his own weapon and 
struck the Mallukh Ha Moveth on the side of the head, disabling 
him at one blow. 

Peter then bade some of the other disciples hasten and bring 
all the friends of Jesus to the rescue. Meanwhile with several 
others, he followed the band as they led Jesus to Annas, who was 
now President of the Sanhedrim, and whose residence adjoined 
the Temple area. There they kept Jesus, while messengers 
hastened to the house of Caiaphas where the chief priests and 
elders soon gathered. They had already been notified that the 
capture of Jesus would be attempted that day, and were directed 
to hold themselves in readiness when summoned to the house of 
the High Priest. 

blearing that a rescue might be attempted, Annas ordered 
Jesus to be securely bound and conveyed to the residence of 
Caiaphas which also adjoined the temple grounds. 

Under the Roman law the Sanhedrists could not hold a session 
as a Court to try any of their co-religionists on charges of capital 
offences without a special permit from the Roman Governor, 


388 


lESAT NASSAR. 


The Sanhedrim nevertheless assembled, ’and accused Jesus of 
seducing the Jews from Judaism, and made many other charges 
against him. They had determined to rush the trial, and to exe- 
cute Jesus, before Pilate, who was absent from the city could re- 
turn and prevent them. The ringleaders said to each other : If 
we execute this enemy before the return of Pilate, what can he 
do ? If he storms very much we will find some means of placat- 
ing him, or instruct our khaberim in Rome to see that he is re- 
called ; and thus will we be rid of this heathen persecutor for- 
ever. 

One of the guards who secretly was a disciple of Jesus gained 
an entrance for Peter, and secured him a position in the outer 
hall from where he could both see and hear the proceedings of 
the Council. 

Here Peter was accosted by some of the Sicarii bystanders. 

Oh, uncle ! remarked one of them : The arrest of Jesus Nassar 
will cause a great excftement among the people. What dost thou 
think of the arrest of thy master, for thou hast the appearance of 
one of his followers. 

Peter knew that if these men should ascertain that he was a 
disciple of Jesus he would be watched and be prevented from 
communicating with his friends who doubtless were already in 
the street about the pontiffs residence for the purpose of effecting 
a rescue of their Master, or they might throw him out bodily. It 
was necessary for him to get correct information about the pro- 
gress of the proceedings inside, so that the friends who undoubt- 
edly were rapidly rallying outside might know exactly the best 
moment when they should make the attack for the rescue of the 
Master. 

So Peter replied : I do not know the man except by common 
rumor. As I was passing by I heard the high priests had cap- 
tured him, and came in to learn what he had done to merit this 
arrest. 

Just as Peter had finished speaking the chief priests declared 


THE GREAT TRAITOR. 389 

Jesus guilty of all the charges that had been brought against him, 
and the High Priest was about to pass sentence. 

Peter who had been straining every nerve to listen, was in 
agony as he heard him pronounced guilty. He knew that the 
sentence would be death. Where would the chief priests imprison 
Jesus until he should be led out to execution ? Time was press- 
ing, and Peter trembled all over with emotion to find out all. 

This attracted the attention of another of the Sicarii who had 
heard Peter deny all knowledge of the prisoner, and he sneeringly 
remarked : Wherefore dost thou lie in saying that thou dost not 
know Jesus Nassar. Art not thou so unduly excited on hearing 
the just fate of this renegade and enemy of Israel ? And doth 
not thy speech betray thee as being a Galilean, and as being also 
of the same race as this Jesus Nassar ? 

Many of the settlers in Galilee were Greeks and and Parthians, 
and could not well pronounce the Hebrew and Aramaic gutter- 
als. Thus Peter was easily detected by the ecclesiastical guards. 

A third Sicarii said the same thing, and added : Besides, did 
I not see thee outside in the Temple Court with him ? 

Anxiety gave way to anger with Peter, who now determined 
to remain to the end and find out where Jesus would be im- 
prisoned after sentence. Thou son of perdition, he replied hotly: 
Have I not told thee twice already that I know nothing of the 
man. Wherefore dost thou seek to quarrel with me. 

Peter spoke so loudly in his anger and excitement that the 
proceedings were stayed for a minute to ascertain the cause of 
the disturbance, and at the moment that Peter denied knowledge 
of Jesus, the Lord turned round and his glance met that of 
Peter. 

Then the Sanhedrists passed sentence that Jesus Nassar be 
stoned to death on the following day, and his body afterwards 
be hanged on a tree, a cross, according to the holy laws of Moses; 
as a warning to all who should attempt to lead the Jews astray 
by denying the divine authority of Ecclesiastical Israel. 


39 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR, 


But to give this murderous sentence an appearance of judi- 
cial condemnation, on account of the laity and the Gentiles, the 
council ordered that public proclamation be made early in tlie 
morning throughout the city that Jesus Nassar would be exe- 
cuted by stoning and hanging for blasphemy. 

They could not take Jesus to the municipal prison for con- 
demned prisoners, because they had had neither warrant nor 
permit from the Roman authorities for the trial, and the jailer 
would probably refuse to connive at the violation of law. They 
feared besides that the friends of Jesus might have gathered in 
sufficient force to effect a rescue if they took Jesus through the 
streets, or at least to create sufficient disturbance in the attempt 
to attract the Roman soldiers and police. 

For such reasons they decided to confine the Lord in the 
underground dungeon of Caiaphas’ house, where they bound him 
to a pillar in a standing position. 

A great horror fell upon Peter. It would be impossible for 
the disciples to rescue their Master out of the house of the high 
priest. And what, if the sentence should be executed before Pi- 
late could arrive and prevent this murder ? Then he remem- 
bered that the last words Jesus had heard him utter were a de- 
nial of all knowledge of the Master, to rescue whom he would 
gladly die. He perchance miglit never have the opportunity to 
explain to Jesus why he had done so, and his dear Lord would 
go to his death with the sorrowful knowledge that his disciple 
was a coward and false. Then Peter broke down and wept in 
bitter despair. 

Not all the blood of beasts 
On Jewish altars slain, 

Gave the Great Traitor’s conscience peace, 

Or cleansed him of that stain. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXIV. Also pages of 
same, 560-567. 


PONTIUS PILATE. 


39i 


CHAPTER XXXV. 


PONTIUS PILATE. 

When Peter went out of the high priest’s house, he found a 
number of his friends and other Essenes gathered on the street. 
After he had informed them of what had transpired within, Peter 
inquired of the leaders, what else, besides assembling their friends 
to attempt a rescue they had done towards effecting the release 
of the Master. 

They replied that messengers had already ridden away post 
haste to Hebron to appeal to Pilate, who was detained in that 
city to quell an unexpected disturbance. • Others had gone to 
Lydda to Prince Monabaz, to claim the fulfilment of his promise 
to protect Jesus, while several of his kinsmen had hastened to 
the Deyar to fetch the Lady Marya, that she might personally 
appeal to Pilate’s wife. This lady could help them if she would 
use her influence with the commander of the Roman legion sta- 
tioned in Jerusalem, and persuade him to forbid the execution of 
Jesus before the return of Pilate. This officer was the lady’s 
brother, and was authorized to act for the civil governor during 
his absence. 

The Jewish law recognized a form of procedure when a per- 
son caught in the act of uttering blasphemy, might be done to 
death without further inquiry. 

Under the rule of the Romans, the Jewish Sanhedrim could 
bring to trial, and punish by death those of their own faith who 
broke the Jewish religious laws. But to render such trial legal, 
the Sanhedrim were obliged first to procure the consent and per- 
mit of the Roman Governor. When a Jew, condemned to death 
by the court of the Sanhedrim was taken to the place of execu- 
tion the Roman soldiers were stationed to preserve order on the 


lESAT NASSAR. 


392 

streets along which the condemned was led, as well as at the 
place of execution. 

In this instance Annas and Caiaphas with their confederates 
resolved to hasten the execution of Jesus before they could be 
prevented by the return of Pilate. King Izates, the suzerain of 
Jesus, had not formally delivered him to be judged by the Jewish 
court, nor had Pilate granted them a permit to bring him to 
trial. But the chief priests had trusted to succeed by guile and 
bribery to evade too strict an inquiry into their proceedings by 
the deputy governor. The presence of Queen Helena and 
Prince Monabaz in the immediate neighborhood of Jerusalem 
would make it appear as though the consent of his suzerain and 
all other legal formalities had been complied with in the trial and 
condemnation of Jesus. 

A sufficient number of friends was left to watch the high 
priest’s house in case Jesus should be conveyed to some other 
place of confinement; and Peter with the rest went to the pal- 
ace Grapte, where the Lady Marya soon arrived. Accompanied 
by Peter and John, and escorted by a number of their friends 
and followers, the Lady Marya went to the residence of the 
Governor, and requested audience of Pilate’s wife, on a matter 
of life and death. 

The noble Roman lady was greatly distressed and astonished, 
not at the lawlessness and malignity of the chief priests, of which 
Pilate had large experience, but that one so good and kind and 
faithful, so wise and honorable as Jesus Nassar should be be- 
trayed by his own kin. For Pilate’s wife divined that the Jewish 
priests and rulers would not have dared to take such extreme 
measures as they had done, if they had not been assured of 
Helena’s and Monabaz’ connivance. 

Pilate’s wife sent a confidential messenger to her brother, the 
commander of the Roman legion, with an earnest request that 
he come to her without a moment’s delay, and that officer, who 
lived near by, soon arrived 


PONTIUS PILATE. 


393 


When he heard what the chief priests had done, he promised 
his sister and the lady Marya, that he would not permit any il- 
legal execution of Jesus, and would take immediate steps to 
prevent secret murder as well. 

The commander then summoned several aides who accom- 
panied him, and sent orders to double the number of sentries, 
also for extra guards to patrol the streets of the city until Pilate’s 
return. These precautions would prevent or quell mob rule, in 
case the chief priests and elders of the Jews should attempt to 
carry out the sentence of execution with the assistance of their 
Sicarii, before the matter could be legally investigated. 

Pilate’s wife wrote a letter to her husband to enquire whether 
he had authorized the High Priest to assemble a Sanhedrim to 
bring Jesus Nassar to trial. At the same time she entreated him 
not to allow himself to be drawn into any action which might be 
construed as acquiescent by the Jewish lawyers, before he himself 
could return to make personal investigation into the matter. The 
lady further acquainted her husband that her brother had been 
notified, and would perform his duty as military governor. She 
dwelt upon her own distress at the exceeding anxiety and suffer- 
ing of the Mother of Jesus, which she had witnessed. 

This letter with another from himselfj the commander of the 
legion sent to Pilate by a trusty officer ; who received orders to 
ride on an errand to save the life of a prince, and to deliver the 
letters only into the hands of Pilate himself. 

The commander also wrote to Queen Helena to advise her of 
what had occurred ; to inquire whether the High Priest of the 
Jews had received authority from King Izatesto arrest Jesus, and 
to notify her of the steps taken to acquaint the Governor with the 
state of affairs, and expressing his intention to release Jesus if he 
had been illegally arrested. The aide who carried' this letter to 
Lydda had strict orders to deliver it only into the hands of Queen 
Helena or of Prince Monabaz, and to await the reply which he 
was to bring with all speed. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


i94 

When the messengers had been despatched, the commander 
bade the proper officer, already in waiting, to take his guard of 
soldiers, go to the High Priest’s house and request that dignitary 
to show him the permit which had authorized him to assemble a 
Sanhedrim, and to arrest and bring Jesus Nassar to trial. 

Should the High Priest produce such documents in due form, 
the officer was instructed to inform the High Priest that the order 
of the military commander was, that in accordance with Roman 
law, two days must intervene between passing sentence and the 
execution. 

Put if the High Priest failed to produce the necessary legal 
permits, the officer was authorized to demand the immediate re- 
lease of Jesus Nassar in the name of the military commander, who 
was Pilate’s deputy during his absence. 

The friends and followers who had escorted the Lady Mary a 
to the residence, waited in the courts and in the street to learn 
the results of the conference with the Governor's wife. The 
number' constantly increased as the news had been quickly con- 
veyed to all those whose support could be relied upon. All of 
these now followed the officer and his company of soldiers to the 
house of Caiaphas. 

As the High Priest had not the requisite legal documents to 
show the officer in command, he was obliged to produce Jesus 
and deliver him up to the Roman, who with his guard escorted 
the Lord to the presence of the military commander. 

After the short examination of the disciples who had been 
present at the seizure of their Master, the military commander in- 
formed Jesus Nassar that he was free. At the same time he told 
him of what he had done to acquaint the Governor and the 
Queen with the action of the Jewish rulers. 

The Lord replied that he would tarry in Jerusalem until the 
return of Pilate, before whom he desired to clear himself of the 
charges brought by the High Priest. 

The disciples and friends who had anxiously and unwearedly 


PONTIUS PILATE. 


395 


followed and watched the course of events that evening, now 
surrounded Jesus and accompanied him as a guard to the palace 
Grapte. 

After Caiaphas had been compelled to release Jesus he in- 
stantly called again his confederates to secret council. They 
knew that they would be obliged to answer to Pilate for the 
attempt they had made to evade the law during his absence. 
They therefore agreed to bring a formal accusation against Jesus 
without delay. It stated that by means of his cures and his 
teachings, Jesus Nassar had seduced many people from their law- 
ful allegiance, political and ecclesiastical, to become his own 
followers. That he had been secretly anointed as king, to be put 
in place of Izates of Adiabene, and was now in Judea for the pur- 
pose of winning over adherents and a following sufficiently strong 
to insure success. That he had promised to restore the Kingdom 
to Israel, in return for Jewish assistance, and had already been 
tried by Herod on a charge of inciting the people to treason. As 
a proof of such charges, Caiaphas and his confederates considered 
that the testimony against the men who had been arrested during 
the memorable entry into Jerusalem, would be sufficient evidence. 
Further they decided to lay all the emphasis upon the political, 
and not the religious aspect of the said charges against Jesus; 
since it was the essence of Roman procedure to enter only on 
definite accusations. 

Consequently on his return, Pilate found that the High Priest 
had filed a formal complaint against Jesus Nassar, as a perverter 
of the nation of the Jews; who forbid to give tribute to Caesar 
and said that he himself was an anointed king. 

Caiaphas, Annas and Eleazar also presented themselves be- 
fore Pilate as soon as he would grant them audience after his 
arrival. It was the policy of the High Priest and of the Presi- 
dent of the Sanhedrim, not only to be the complainants, but also 
to vindicate their action concerning Jesus, as in the interest of 
law and order; seeing that according to the laws whereby Rome 


39 ^ 


IESAT nassar. 


governed the Jews, the High Priest was responsible to answer 
for, and produce those of his co-religionists who were guilty of 
misdemeanor against the State. 

But for reply, the Governor directed the attention of Caia- 
phas and Annas to the fact that this Jesus Nassar was the sub- 
ject and kinsman of a king who was no vassal but an ally of 
Rome. The unauthorized seizure, trial and condemnation of 
such a person in the Roman dominions, would cause serious 
complications between the allied powers, if Jesus should become 
the plaintiff for redress. In such case, Pilate declared that he 
would not attempt to shield the High Priest, but would leave 
him to bear the consequences of his rash act. 

Annas stated that they had the permission of Queen Helena. 

By skilful questions Pilate soon elicited sufficient information 
to understand the part that Helena and Monabaz had been in- 
duced to act in the matter; and to their chagrin explained to 
those chief priests that although connivance implied consent, and 
even sometimes collusion, it was not acceptable in lieu of an 
official legal permit from the suzerain of the accused. Also that 
the exposure of such relations between the chief priests of the 
Jews and the august kindred of Jesus Nassar, would only bring 
down upon them all the odium of that public, whose veneration 
they were so jealous to retain. 

Annas and Caiaphas waxed wroth, and signified that they 
would now show that they possessed a legal right to dispose of 
the person of Jesus, the son of the Lady Marya, according to 
their own will and judgment. Annanus, as chief of Jewish law- 
yers would prove the same to the satisfaction of the Governor. 

Then, for the first time Pilate learned of the claim which An- 
nas had made on the Lady Marya as his legal wife. Jesus was 
represented to be her illegitimate son, conceived and begotten 
after her espousal to Yohanan or Annas the son of Seth. 

Annas had never granted the Lady Marya any divorce, which 
fact, Annanus asserted, precluded the claim of Jesus to be a sub- 


PONTIUS PILATE. 


397 


ject of King Izates of Adiabene, and made him, in law, a son of 
Annas the Jew ; who now claimed to be entitled to hold the 
same power over Jesus, as in Roman law was granted to a parent. 
This was such, that although in the forum, senate or camp, the 
adult son of a Roman citizen enjoyed the public and private 
rights of a person, yet in his father’s house he was a mere thing ; 
confounded by the laws with the moveables, the cattle and the 
slaves, whom the capricious master might alienate or destroy, 
without being responsible to any earthly tribunal. For the 
majesty of a parent was armed with the power of life and death. 
Neither age, nor rank, nor the consular office, nor the honors of 
a triumph, could exempt the most illustrious citizen from the 
bonds of filial subjection. 

When Annanus had ended his argument, Annas demanded 
of Pilate a permit to re-arrest Jesus, and bring him to trial by 
the Sanhedrim, on the charges of breaking the Jewish law by 
performing cures on the Sabbath day. 

But the Governor courteously reminded Annas that he had 
as yet, only his word for the truth of the statements just made ; 
which in Roman law, was not sufficient proof to justify him, as 
Governor, with taking any such action. The claims of Annas on 
Jesus must be legally verified by proper witnesses and records. 
The Queen Helena and the Lady Marya were in the city, and 
Pilate would therefore without delay send his own confidential 
secretary to the lawyer of those ladies, to seek for information 
upon the subject. 

On his return to the city, Pilate had made instant inquiry into 
the case of Jesus Nassar. He learned that the Queen Helena 
had, in reply, written evasively to his deputy, the military com- 
mander, implying that she had confidence in the chief priests 
that they would not transgress the bounds of the law through 
any friendly investigation which concerned her family and 
kindred; that she would soon return to the city, when every 


lESAT NASSAR. 


39S 

circumstance would doubtless be explained satisfactorily to all 
concerned.” 

Pilate had next conferred with the president of the municipal 
courts upon the subject of the formal accusations brought by the 
High Priest against Jesus. Opportunely, Herod the Tetrarch of 
Galilee had also just arrived on a visit to Jerusalem, and Pilate 
commissioned this officer who ranked next to himself in the civil 
courts, to visit the Tetrarch and to pray him on the part of the 
Governor Pilate, to acquaint him with the facts of the case of 
Jesus Nassar having been tried for inciting to treason in his juris- 
diction, as charged by the complaint of the Jewish High Priest. 

Herod had replied that he had found no fault at all in Jesus 
Nassar, who had been proven not guilty of the charges brought 
against him in Galilee by the Jewish priests and elders. 

Through the same civil officer Pilate had communicated to 
Queen Helena the nature of the accusation brought by the High 
Priest against her subject and kinsman, Jesus Nassar, and had 
asked for her instructions in the matter. In reply, the Queen 
had authorized the Governor to investigate the case, and to judge 
Jesus accordingly. Then Pilate perceived that through envy of 
his superiority to herself and her sons, Helena had betrayed 
Jesus into the hands of the chief priests, and now delivered him 
to be judged before a Roman tribunal on an exceedingly perilous 
accusation, considering the unnaturally suspicious and cruel na- 
ture of the reigning Caesar. 

Pilate felt convinced that Annas was making false charges 
against the Lady Marya. Pie knew full well that for guile, du- 
plicity and wile, Annas was unequalled even among his col- 
leagues, and divined that at some former time, he must have 
essayed to ensnare the noble Lady Marya into some situation 
which should bear the semblance of an espousal according to 
Jewish law. Pilate was also aware that the Queen Helena’s life 
and actions were chiefly influenced and guided by this self- 
seeking, crafty ex-pontiff* and wondered >vbat would, in the 


PONTIUS PILATE. 


399 


present circumstances, be the outcome of this wicked device of 
the chief priests for getting Jesus into their power. But at the 
same time he determined that they should produce unassailable 
proofs for all their allegations and accusations against Jesus 
Nassar, before he would impeach his motives or arraign him 
on their charges. 

He therefore now ordered that a messenger be summoned, 
and bade him seek Jesus Nassar to pray him on the part of 
Pontius Pilate, to come to the Court that the Governor might 
have speech with his highness concerning certain matters that 
interested Jesus Nassar. 

This manner of procedure on the part of the Governor 
g:eatly disappointed Annas, Caiaphas and Eleazar. They had 
already been dismayed at the inopportune presence of Herod in 
the city, and had trusted to gain their ends by means of Annas’ 
claim on the Lady Mary a, in case Pilate failed to convict Jesus 
of treason on their complaint. 

When accompanied by his lawyer, Joseph of Arimathea, and 
a suitable number of attendants and retainers, Jesus Nassar 
arrived at the official residence of the Governor, the officers and 
guards saluted him with the honors due to his rank as he passed 
to the hall of audience where Pilate accorded him additional 
respect by rising from his seat to receive Jesus. 

All these tokens of honorable distinction so angered Caiaphas, 
Annas and Eleazer, that they not only murmured among them- 
selves, but became sufficiently discourteous to the Governor to 
expostulate with him on the propriety of according such courtesy 
to one who had been tried for, and accused of treason to the 
State. By this they trusted to intimidate Pilate as laying himself 
open to suspicion of collusion with Jesus. 

Knowing the exceptional ability of Annas for subterfuge 
Joseph of Arimathea had requested the presence of a number of 
hoitorable Jews of the city of Jerusalem, who had been present on 


400 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the occas-ion of the public betrothal of the Lady Marya, of 
Kharax and Adiabene, to her cousin Youseph Pandar. 

By the testimony of these citizens and other legal proofs, the 
claims of Annas were proven altogether untenable, and Pilate de- 
cided that the Lady Marya was the lawful wife of Youseph 
Pandar, and Jesus Nassar their legitimate son; and therefore a 
subject of the King of Adiabene. 

After this, Pilate requested a private interview of the Lord 
Jesus; during which he informed him of the nature of the 
charges brought by the High Priest. He then invited Jesus to 
give him his confidence. Had he indeed been annointed king by 
the disaffected nobles of Adiabene ? What was their strength ? 
And what their chances of being supported by the Suzerain and 
kings of the provinces of Parthia. 

For reply, Jesus inquired of Pilate whether he sought informa- 
tion for himself, or whether it was at the request of others that 
he asked such questions. 

Am I a Jew ! to seek to gain your confidence, for the benefit 
of your enemies ? exclaimed Pilate. Your own nation in the 
person of your Suzerain and kinswoman. Queen Helena, and the 
chief priests of the Jews your co-religionists, have delivered this 
charge against you to be judged by me. What part has your 
highness taken in the trouble between King Izates and his sub- 
jects ? We, as Governor, are obliged to investigate, not only in 
the interest of righteous judgment, but also in the interests of 
Rome and of our Master Caesar. Inasmuch as King Izates has 
rendered himself obnoxious to Rome, and is unpopular among his 
own subjects, and is also not in favor wuth his Suzerain, the King 
of Parthia, Rome would help Jesus to take the throne of Adiabene 
from such an unreliable prince. 

When Pilate learned that the throne or Adiabene had indeed 
been offered to Jesus and refused by him, he was astonished, and 
asked of Jesus his reasons for not accepting. 


PONTlUS PILATE. 


40 [ 

The Lord explained that the object of his life work was not 
the gain of earthly power, but to establish the reign of truth. 

Then said Pilate : What is truth ? Do not the teachers of all 
creeds claim to teach the truth, and the adherents of each claim 
that they alone have the truth ? And yet how many of the 
creeds are contradictory to each other. f 

You would teach the truth as a wise and enlightened man • 
understands it. But then how can you expect to succeed against i 
this immensely powerful organization of Jewish priests who have 
earthly powers to back them, and will surely kill you before you 
can break their prestige and their influence over the people. If 
you had accepted the throne of Adiabene you would have had 
the support of your nobles- and of your army; and your followers 
would flock to your standard from all lands. 

When the men who were arrested on the occasion of the 
public entry into Jerusalem were brought before Pilate for 
examination they all made the same explanations, and gave their 
reasons for the peculiar expressions of welcome to Helena and 
her company. The tale told by the men was simple, and no cross 
examination could shake their testimony. They had heard that 
King Izates had arrived unexpectedly, and would accompany his 
Mother on her public entry into the Holy City. The chief 
priests had religiously included his province as the Land of 
Israel.” It was reported that King Izates and Queen Helena 
would feel so flattered and pleased at his being greeted as King 
of Israel,” that they would probably be induced to double their 
gifts to the Temple and the number of privileges to their Jewish ' 
subjects. The men added that it had been reported, that as a 
thank offering for her son’s victories over his enemies, the Queen 
would distribute a large sum of money among the people who 
should go out to meet and escort her with honorable welcome. 

The origin of the report concerning the presence of King 
Izates could not be traced; for the followers of Bar- Abbas were 
cautious not to betray themselves as having any connection with 

26 


432 


JESAT NASSAR. 


that famous robber chief. Each of them further swore, most 
emphatically, that he knew naught of Jesus Nassar in connection 
with that occasion. Consequently the men were set at liberty, 
because evidently some one had blundered or intentionally mis- 
led the people by circulating a false report ; and of which these 
men were apparently dupes and victims. 

A large number of Essenes and other friends of Lazurus of 
Bethany, who had escorted Jesus when he accompanied Helena 
on her public entry into the city, gathered in the hall of judg- 
ment to witness the examination of Bar Abbas’ men. These friends 
also came forward and gave their voluntary testimony that they 
had escorted Jesus on that day to do him honor as the Great 
Physician and Teacher. Also that when they had inquired of 
some Jews in the crowd their reason for the cries of welcome 
to a King of Israel, they had received for answer, that the King 
Izates was the one whom they desired to honor. 

The witnesses produced by the chief priests against Jesus 
were soon entangled in a mesh of contradictory statements ; out 
of which not even the intricate quirks and subtle quibbling of 
Annanus could extricate them. Proven false and perjured they 
were driven out, escaping punishment for false witness and per- 
jury only on account of being protected by the High Priest. 

Then Pilate rendered his decision that Jesus Nassar had been 
proved innocent of the charges brought against him by the high 
priest and rulers of the Jews. Thus again did the Lord escape 
out of the snare and power of his enemies. 

Immediately after the Lord Jesus had been freed from his 
arrest by Caiaphas, Peter hastened to explain his reason for 
having denied him during the trial by the High Priest. 

The Master in reply, assured this devoted disciple that he had 
known Peter’s motive to have been one of love, and had divined 
that he hoped thereby to further some plan for his release. 
Nevertheless at the same time, Jesus lovingly counselled him 
never again to resort to untruth in order to promote the good. 


PONTIt>S PILATE. 


403 

Peter had suffered inexpressible agony at the time, for fear 
that his beloved Master would never know the true reason that 
caused the denial; he also now perceived that his deviation from 
truth had grieved that noble heart, and exclaimed with sincere 
fervor : Lord ! even if I have to die for it, yet will I never again 
deny thee ! 

Peter and John now found themselves obliged to go, on ac- 
count of their business interests, to Galilee, where Jesus ap- 
pointed to meet them later. He himself, soon after, also de- 
parted from Jerusalem and travelled eastward beyond Jordan. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXV. 



1 1 


404 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XXXVI. 


CATCH OF THE GREAT FISHES. 

Peter, James, John, Didymus, Natlianeal, Bar Ptolomy, and 
Philip the Ethiopian, called a meeting to deliberate upon the 
best measures for strengthening the position of their Master 
against the unceasing attacks and snares of their enemies. 

After a number of propositions had been considered and re- 
jected as not feasible or not practicable, Peter made a proposal 
which was unanimously approved and adopted. He was con- 
vinced that their surest defense would lie in numbers, and tlieir 
best protection in an increase of adherents from among the pow- 
erful and influential men and women among the Pagans. There- 
fore, said he, I go to preach and bring into our community those 
of the Gentile population who have never accepted the creed of 
the Jews. And to this decision of Peter the other disciples had 
replied : We also will go with you. 

The colleagues then appointed to each a circuit to labor in 
for six months among the Pagan population of the surrounding 
territory. At the end of that period the disciples agreed to re- 
turn to Tiberias where they would convene to report experience, 
success or failure. 

When these seven devoted men returned from their mission 
and gathered together, they were weary and dispirited, for they 
had met with no success whatever. They had toiled all the six 
months and gained nothing. But while they earnestly considered 
ways and means for future action, and had sought the causes for 
their failure, the Lord Jesus came to them. They had not re- 
ceived any notice of his arrival, and did not expect him. In re- 
ply to his questions, they soon told the Master all they had at- 
tempted, and how utterly they had failed. 

Then Jesus pointed out to them that they had been working 


CATCH OF THE GREAT FISHES. 


405 

in the wrong way, and therefore had not succeeded. In this 
mission they had labored for the special needs and benefit of the 
Church of their Master as an Institution. But that was not the 
right way. He reminded them that when they had labored in 
accordance with his instructions they had saved multitudes from 
the error of their ways. So Jesus now again explained to them 
that if they would be his followers, they must labor for the spec- 
ial needs and benefit of the individual, quite irrespectively of the 
benefits which might or might not accrue to the Church as a 
secular institution. 

Then John said to Peter: It is indeed the Lord; the same 
Lord as at the beginning, unchanged by the deadly persecutions 
and dangers through which he has passed. He is still thought- 
ful of, and striving for, the welfare and salvation of men, before 
even his own safety. 

They organized another mission under the direction and 
leadership of the Master, which proved so successful, that, be- 
sides a great multitude of the people, there were joined to the 
Lord one hundred and fifty-three representative men from among 
the nobles and priests of the Gentiles. 

All of these converts expressed a desire to meet to commune 
with the brethren and with the Lord Jesus. He therefore ap- 
pointed a place near the Sea of Tiberias, on property belonging 
to him and his cousin disciples for this Great Communion ; and 
hither they came from the surrounding territories, men, women 
and children, a great host. At this time the Lord taught the 
people many things, and although the greater number never saw 
him again, they carried his influence away with them to their 
homes, where their future lives were ennobled and beautified 
and made a blessing to others, by their following and carrying 
out his instructions in their daily lives. 

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy, 

From his Lighthouse evermore, 

But to us he gives the keeping. 


4o6 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Of the lights along the shore. 

Let the lower lights be burning ! 

Send a gleam across the wave ! 
Many a struggling fainting brother, 
You may rescue, you may save. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXVL 


JESUS VS. JUDAISM AND ESSENISM. 


407 


CHAPTER XXXVII. 


JESUS VS. JUDAISM AND ESSENISM. 

From this time the Lord Jesus began to prepare his disciples 
for what he foresaw would be the inevitable consequences of his 
firm refusal to compromise with fraud, oppression and injustice : 
whether ecclesiastical or political. He had devoted his life to la- 
bor for the establishment of justice and holiness against injustice, 
hypocrisy, and fraud ; and with the heroism of the great patriotic 
soldier he would not quit the battle-field, although he knew that 
a violent and cruel death would sooner or later overtake him 
through the malice and machinations of his powerful and relent- 
less enemies. 

But Peter who devotedly loved his Master, believed that his 
personal safety was of the first importance and ought to be secured 
at all hazards. Consequently he proposed different plans for 
compromise with the enemy, and also for a course of action 
whereby, through the superstitions and credulity of the masses, 
they could advantageously compete for, and win to themselves, 
the allegiance of the laity both Jews and Pagans. Although all 
of his projects and plans involved some sacrifice of what Peter 
regarded as doctrines of minor importance he urged upon Jesus 
that in pity for himself and for his followers, it was his duty to 
avert the foreshadowed doom. 

But the Lord reproved Peter, because by such advice he was 
proving a stumbling block instead of a helper to his Master; 
being more mindful for temporary success and safety than for the 
lasting enlightenment and enfranchisement of the human race. 

The Lord then pointed out to his faithful apostles that, not 
only would the chief priests and elders continue to hunt and per- 
secute him until they compassed his death, but they would also 
hate and persecute all those who were his disciples, and who de- 


408 


lESAT NASSAR. 


voted their lives to free men’s souls from Jewish and Pagan errors 
and superstitions. 

He further impressed upon them that they would encounter 
such usage, not only from the Jews, but also from their brethren 
the Essenes; from friends, from kinsfolk, and even from parents; 
from all and any whose souls and intellects were bound and en- 
slaved by the superstitions and false dogmas and precepts of men’s 
devising. 

He also said to the disciples that he now reminded them of 
the persecutions they must encounter; even to be delivered up 
to death by those whom nature had constituted their protectors. 
So they were not to undertake the charge of the work he would 
commit to them with the idea that perchance such troubles might 
be avoided. For in that case when they were overtaken by fiery 
trials they might stumble and fall. 

The Jewish Sanhedrim of that period wielded tyrannical and 
lawless power over their unfortunate co-religionists. The Gov- 
ernment of the Caesars had constituted the Court of the Sanhe- 
drim independent of the ordinary magistrates, who, like the Roman 
Governors, evidenced the greatest care to consult the wishes of 
these rulers of the Jews in all matters that related to their co- 
religionists. 

The Beth Deen, or Hall of Judgment, as the ecclesiastical 
Court was termed, therefore, took to itself, irrespective even of 
Jewish oral or written Law, the authority to punish its people by 
excommunication, boycott, scourging, destraining of goods, im- 
prisonment, and even death, for the smallest liberties the Jews 
might take to transgress the rules for conduct, speech and 
thought laid down by their Rabbis. 

Whenever the Rabbis noticed that the laity showed any in- 
clination to live on honest and friendly terms with their Gentile 
neighbors, or dared to intimate that a Pagan might possess a soul 
of divine origin as well as a Jew, or evinced any laxity whatever 
in the observance of all the silly superstitions, and sometimes 


JESUS VS. JUDAISM AND ESSENISM. 409 

wicked ceremonials called, works of righteousness,” or if they 
presumed to express a doubt of the divine authority of the rabbis, 
the Sanhedrim made terrible examples of the persons who showed 
the courage of their convictions. They scourged, they excom- 
municated, they boycotted, they imprisoned and bound with 
fetters, they tortured, they robbed the goods without even a show 
of legal process, and they put to death their hapless victims. 

No Jew could find redress from the Gentile rulers in whose 
lands they dwelt against these wicked Sanhedrim when the 
offense had been one of a religious nature ; for the Roman and 
Parthian governments had relegated all such judgments to the 
High Priest of the Jews; and from his Court there was no ap- 
peal for his co-religionists. Any interference with his adminis- 
tration was immediately heralded to all the Jews throughout the 
world as a persecution of Israel, and the Jews were ordered to 
stir up their countrymen every where to sympathy with him 
against the supposed agressors. 

These lawless persecutions, robberies and murders of their 
own people the rabbis justified as holy zeal on their own part to 
preserve the sanctity of their Law, and to prevent the Jews from 
falling away from the Jehovah of Israel, to follow after the God 
of the Gentiles. 

Like the Jewish Sanhedrim, the Essene ecclesiastical courts 
also punished with inhuman severity those who transgressed their 
rules. Such,” says Josephus, were cast out, excommunicated 
out of the Society, and often died in a miserable manner ; for, 
being bound by the oath they had taken, and the customs they 
had been engaged in, they were not at liberty to partake of food 
that they met with elsewhere, but were forced to eat grass and 
to famish their bodies with hunger, till they perished.” 

The Essenes of Palestine had also associated themselves with 
Judaism, that by the Romans, they had come to be regarded as 
a sect of Jews. Jesus and his disciples were therefore looked 
upon as the founders of a new sect of Judaism somewhat hetero- 


410 lESAT NASSAR. 

dox, but still Jewish; although in truth, the teachings of the 
Great Master struck at the very roots of the Upas tree of 
Judaism. 

But it was the policy of the chief priests and rulers that Jesus 
and his followers should, by the Romans, be classed as Jews. 
This placed them under the jurisdiction of the Jewish High 
Priest or of the Essene Elders in all matters concerning religious 
heresy. And creed with its ceremonial and financial obligations 
and penalties, was the great lever by which the Rabbis moved 
the Jewish world, and the yoke by which they kept their co- 
religionists in abject subjugation. 

Up to this period of time Jesus and his apostles had in a 
great measure lived after the manner of the Essenes, sharing their 
property in common with that community. 

But now the Master perceived that the time had come when 
a community of property was no longer advisable, nor compatible 
with the safety of his followers. There were grave points of dif- 
ference in the dogmas and precepts which the Essenes held to be 
indispensable to salvation, and the doctrines and precepts which 
Jesus taught as being the will of the All-Father. 

To the apostles who had been with him from the beginning 
of his ministry, those whom he had trained to be teachers and 
physicians, Jesus now delivered his final charge, and trusted them 
to carryout his instructions during their own earthly career. Also 
to transmit his charge in such a manner as would enlighten and 
bless and benefit succeeding generations of men for all time. He 
therefore rehearsed to them the essential points of difference be- 
tween Judaism and Essenism which must be maintained in their 
lives and teachings to establish his Church and the Kingdom of 
God. 

The Jewish dogmas held woman to be an inferior being to the 
man. According to Jewish doctrines and teachings woman was 
not possessed of the higher and divine soul. Jewish doctrines 
taught that although the Creator had taken much thought and 


Jesus as. Judaism and essenism. 41 i 

many precautions to form a good woman, he had failed, and had 
produced a creature naturally depraved, given to levity and 
easily led aslray; a creature to whom God did not condescend 
to speak except only as to a physical part of her husband. For 
such reasons Jewish doctrines advised women to lead lives of 
seclusion, attending to their household duties. Their voices even 
should not be heard by men lest men should thereby be tempted 
to evil desires. And not only were men in general to avoid much 
conversation with women, but even the husband was advised to 
talk but little with his wife. 

The Essenes, although holding in very high esteem, and 
j)lacing on an equal footing with men, such women as had de- 
voted their lives to celibacy and good works, yet regarded the 
rest of womankind in the light of a temptation to carnality, best to 
be avoided. 

Jesus had always taught by precept and example, that the 
Great Creator and All-Father had not formed the woman as an 
after thought and a failure, but had, in the beginning made 
them one;” created them at the same time and with the same 
quality of soul and the same order of moral and intelligent being. 
In the Church of Jesus and the Kingdom of God there were no 
such distinctions to be made between male and female; but they 
were one and equal; and the husband, so far from regarding the 
wife as a spiritual evil, although a physical necessity, was on the 
contrary to love his wife as Jesus had loved his people; devoting 
his life for their welfare and happiness. Further, that the evil 
desires of a man’s heart proceeded from within his own heart 
which defiled his soul, and not from extraneous causes. 

Judaism, teaching the doctrine of inherent depravity and 
original sin, placed the children on the same spiritual and moral 
level with women. From the mother, the child inherited only 
the physical body and animal life. At birth it was also immedi- 
ately possessed by an evil spirit which never left it during life. 
A Jewish male had as many as five souls which entered into him 


412 


iesAt nassar. 


at different periods and occasions of his life. But until a Jewish 
boy was thirteen years old, and became clean by formally joining 
the congregation of Israel, when he received two angels appointed 
by God to watch him, he was on the same moral plane as women. 
Women, children and slaves were exempt from reciting the, 
“ Hear, O Israel,” by which the Creator and his Shekhenah were 
made to produce souls for incarnation by Jews. 

According to Jewish precepts, parents were to train their 
children in unquestioning obedience, and were to use the greatest 
severity. The child’s spirit was to be well subdued in youth ; 
and death by stoning was the punishment for a rebellious son. 
A Jew might sell his daughter to a co-religionist for a term of 
six years. If her master knocked out her eye or her tooth, she 
was not indemnified by freedom from slavery ; but her master was 
to pay her damages, and she was to continue her servitude until 
the expiration of her term. The Canaanitish law of the land in 
such circumstances, freed the maid; but the Jews evidently were 
allowed to govern themselves in those early times as under the 
Greeks, Romans and other nations under whose rule they came. 

But Jesus taught that, far from being full of original sin and 
possessed of an evil spirit at birth, the young children were on the 
contrary, fit for the Kingdom of God ; and that whosoever did 
not discipline his spirit to purity such as that of an infant, could 
never become a partaker of the Kingdom of God. Children 
were to obey their parents in the Lord, but the same parents were 
directed to train their offspring kindly, and in the right way, and 
v/ere cautioned not to discourage their children by harsh meas- 
ures. 

The rabbis taught that it was a deed of merit to get drunk on 
Purim Day as also on every Friday night or Saturday; which 
was to be spent in all attainable pleasures and prayer. 

The Essenes held rigorous fastings ; abstinence from wine and 
flesh, and extreme ascetism as indespensable to perfect purity. 

The followers of Jesus were not to indulge in revelling and 


JESUS VS. JUUAISM AND ESSENiSM. ^ 

dru:^kenne.ss, nor were they to hold any food or drink as defiling 
to. the soul of man. They were to use the world without abusing 
it, and to let their moderation be known in all things. 

Practically, t1:ie Jews and Essenes held that man was created 
to keep the Sabbath sacred. 

Jesus taught that the Sabbath was instituted for the benefit 
and convenience of man. 

Relations between the employer and the employed among 
the Jews were very unjust and capricious. If a Jew possessed a 
bondman or a bondm.aid, and beat them to death, there was no 
penalty attached, provided the bondservant did not die under the 
rod, but lingered a day or two. But where the service was rend- 
ered by a wage earner who was indispensable to his employer, 
the latter was advised to treat him with familiarity in order thereby 
to retain his valuable services. 

The Essenes went to the other extreme among themselves; 
for they did no labor for wages, but performed all services for 
each other as voluntary contributions to the Society. In such 
contempt did they hold the office of a servitor, that when they 
waited on each other at meals those who performed the service 
loosed their tunics while in attendance, because the wage-earning 
servitors waited on their employers with girded loins. 

But Jesus taught his followers otherwise. The relations 
between the employer and the employed were to be conducted 
with equal justice to each other. The servitor was to perform 
faithfully all the work for which he had hired himself to do, with- 
out affecting to despise his office; and the master was to pay 
those whom he employed such wages as were just, and equiva- 
lent to the work performed. 

The position of a servitor was greatly despised by Judaism; 
and honor was accorded to men who though utterly despicable 
as men, could yet employ subordinates. If a man had occupied 
a subordinate position, he was on that account regarded unfit to 
fill the position of a ruler. The Jewish perfect ideal of a ruler 


iESAT NASSAU. 


4U 

was one who neither could nor would perform work of any kind 
for himself, and certainly not for others; one, descended from 
ancestors who had never done any labor, but had lived on the 
productions of others, as their hereditary priesthood and princes 
had done. 

But Jesus taught that hereditary rank alone was not sufficient 
to fit men to be rulers over their fellows. Of this matter the 
Jews and Gentiles had similar and totally wrong conceptions; 
their kings and rulers being styled Benefactors for exercising 
lordship and authority over their people. 

But the followers of Jesus must be quite different, and be 
Chiefs or Elders only in proportion to the amount of service they 
were competent and willing to render their fellow men. He him- 
self was their Lord and Master by earthly rank as well as by 
spiritual grace, but he had been among them the One who had 
done the most service of all. 

Members of the families of the high priests used to secure the 
farming of the taxes of Palestine and neighboring regions, from 
the Gentile kings and emperors under whose successive sway 
those countries came. They practiced inhuman cruelties and un- 
limited extortions upon the people ; and this accumulated great 
wealth, and escaped censure by bribing in high places. Julius 
Caesar, however, forbid the state tribute due from Jews being 
farmed out, but ordered it to be paid directly to the Govern- 
ment; the tax gatherers being appointed by the provincials 
themselves. Such arrangement did not at all suit the high priests 
who could no longer extort more than the religious tithes and 
impositions from their co-religionists. They therefore constantly 
denounced the payment of taxes to the heathen oppressor,” 
who no longer permitted them to rob their people in the name of 
the State, as an offense against Jehovah the King of Israel. 

The Jews of the province of Judea had been exempted from 
military service, and also from contributing in any wise to the 
support of the Roman army stationed in those parts. The Roman 


jiesus vs. JUDAISM AND ESSENISM. 415 

Caesar also ordered a large portion of the tribute in money and 
produce from Galilean, Syrian and Phoenician towns and villages 
to be paid to the Jewish High Priests for their maintenance, with 
numerous other privileges. Yet all these things failed to satisfy 
their greed of gain and the lust for power. 

But Jesus taught his followers that His Church and the 
Kingdom of God must bear the burdens of the State. There was 
to be no evading of paying tax or tribute. They were to render 
to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom cus- 
tom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor,, and to give unto 
Caesar the things that were Caesar’s ; fulfilling all obligations of 
good citizens to the State in which they lived. And this he 
taught not only by precept but also by example; for, as a mem- 
ber of the royal family of an allied power, Jesus was exempted 
from paying taxes. He did not avail himself of this privilege, but 
bade Peter, who evidently was his head man of business, to go and 
use the price of a whole catch of fish on tlie Lake for the payment 
of taxes for himself and his Master. Thus proving by precept 
and example that no community nor individual had any right to 
exemption from the payment of State taxes, either on religious or 
23olitical grounds. 

It was a principle with the Jewish priesthood and rabbis, that 
the laity, who were not versed in the traditions and interpreta- 
tions of their Elders, could not be pious; and all such were 
therefore classed as sinners.” A righteous man” was one who 
was learned in the traditions, and who scrupulously performed 
the ceremonial law. In fact the majority of these so-called 
learned men, priests, Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, regarded 
it as wrong to hold any friendly intercourse with such as were 
not initiated in the cabalistic cipher or secret interpretation of 
their canonical scriptures. Even the murder of such was counted 
as no sin ; for, like the beasts, the common or uninitiated people 
were regarded as created for the service of ecclesiastical Israel. 

The Essenes of higher degree also held themselves aloof from 


lESAT NASSAR. 


41^ 

the brotherhood of lower degrees; even to considering them- 
selves defiled by personal contact. 

But it was just this uninitiated laity, this common people,’^ 
to whom Jesus had come to minister. All the preceding and 
then existing religious and social systems had been established 
and maintained for the benefit and enrichment of the privileged 
few, whether ecclesiastics or nobles. Jesus, the only true Rep- 
resentative of the All-Father, came to do away with such sys- 
tems, and to teach men that it was not by juggling deceptions 
nor by vain or wicked interpretations of simple godly precepts, 
that any class of men could become righteous ; but that it was 
the honest, sober, kindly lives which would find acceptance with 
the Almighty. And this he accomplished by association and 
friendly intercourse with all classes and degrees of the laity ; 
teaching them all things as one having authority direct from the 
All-Father, and not as the scribes who continually quoted some 
rabbi, priest or prophet of a bygone time, as authority for their 
dogmas. 

The Jewish Hierocracy was maintained by a system of de- 
ception, oppression and extortion. The laity groaned under the 
heavy and grievous burdens imposed upon them, but never ob- 
tained relief nor redress. For, when the Israelites selected their 
own civil rulers the Jewish hierocracy was always united with 
the State in the administration of the government. And when 
they lived under Gentile kings, the Jewish priesthood never 
failed to become confederate with such rulers, and obtained from 
them such concessions as rendered them practically the sole ar- 
biters of the lives and fortunes of their co-religionists. 

But Jesus forbid such a system among his followers. No 
man was to be permitted to constitute himself the vicar of the 
heavenly Father, nor of Jesus their Master. For the Father 
loved them, and they were to address their prayers to Him 
direct. Nor was any one to be allowed to exercise lordship 
over the Church of Christ after the manner of the Jewish hier- 


JUSUS vs. JUDAISM AND ESSENISM. 417 

ocracy. The ministers of the Church of Jesus were to tend the 
flock of God by the will of the people, and not by constraint of 
any hierarchy or civil authorities. They were to prove them- 
selves good examples to their congregations, taking pattern after 
Jesus who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister unto 
all. 

Thus the teachings, precepts and actions of Jesus struck at 
the very foundations of the erroneous dogmas which Judaism 
' and Essenism held to be indispensible to salvation. Consequently 
the Lord’s followers, if carrying out his commands in their 
preachings and practice, would surely incur the ban of the Jew- 
ish Sanhedrim as well as that of the Essene Elders, and would be 
subjected to severe penalties for heresy by both Such penalties 
included bodily torture, loss of liberty, of property and of life 
itself. Therefore, against these certain dangers Jesus now made 
the only provisions possible. 

Up to this period of time the Master and apostles had lived 
after the manner of the Essenes, holding community of property 
so far as their personal authority extended over their possessions. 
But now, Jesus disrupted the Commune so far as his immediate 
ambassadors were concerned. Each of them was henceforth to 
own his property independently of any society. 

This arrangement was a necessary precaution; because, ac- 
cording to Essene communistic regulations, individual property 
was also common property; and every individual, even though 
he neither possessed nor contributed anything to the society, 
was yet entitled to take whatever he needed from the possessions of 
the community, and had a claim on all. Thus great wrongs and 
abuses could be perpetrated by, and through such members who 
had joined the society for policy or gain. Again the goods of 
the entire community could be destrained under such conditions, 
and the largest owners and contributors of property and wealth 
would be driven out to face destitution under an accusation of 
heresy. 


27 


lESAT NASSAR. ^ 


418 

Further, the Lord bid those apostles who could not claim 
protection of the Gentile courts as Romans or Parthians, to se- 
cure such protection even if it cost them their social status. In 
such circumstances they could demand trial by Gentile courts, 
and as Paul did later, appeal to Caesar against trial by the Jew- 
ish religious tribunals. 

Having recapitulated the essential rules for the social relations 
of his followers, Jesus committed the supervision of instruction to 
Peter, and the care of his own earthly interests to John, as being 
the best adapted for such trusts. 

On all occasions Peter had proved himself energetic, coura- 
geous, intrepid, heroic. But the Lord desired to draw the atten- 
tion of his disciples to the fact, that although these were indis- 
pensable qualifications to carry on his work, there was a motive 
which would render such virtues effective and everlasting. He 
therefore said to Peter: Lovest thou me more than these? 

Yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee, replied Peter; and 
if I once did propose and counsel a course of action that was not 
right, it was through my love for thee and anxiety for thy safety. 
I pray thee command me to do that whereby I may prove my 
love. 

I charge thee to fill the wants of such of my disciples as are 
weak or young in the faith ; and, like lambs need to be specially 
tended by the shepherd. Furnish them with such spiritual and 
mental food as shall be meet for them in the times when doubts, 
trials and difficulties assail them. 

Peter gladly promised to care for such, and besought to be 
assigned some additional service which should be specially for 
his Master. 

This Jesus granted by recommending and committing to this 
heroic Apostle the protection, guardianship, and assistance in tem- 
poral affairs of such of his followers who were not able to cope 
with their adversaries. 

Nevertheless, although Peter was gratified by the confidence 


JESUS VS. JUDAISM AND ECSENISM. 419 

the Lord evinced in his love, yet he was not satisfied. He still 
craved for some work that should prove of personal service to 
Jesus; and the Master then asked him whether, for love of him 
he would undertake further responsibilities ? 

The third question grieved Peter greatly, because he now un- 
derstood that no service for his dear Lord’s personal benefit 
would be awarded to him. At the same time he realized that on 
the loving heart of Jesus there still lay the burden of some charge 
for which provision had not been made; a task that would be un- 
dertaken only by a great love, such as filled his own heart. So 
he stifled the keen pain of his own disappointment as he answerd : 
Lord thou knowest all things; thou perceivest that I love thee, 
and will therefore perform whatsoever thou wilt bid me to do. 

Thus it came to pass, that our Lord and Master selected 
r eter for his representative in these matters. Peter had recog- 
nized that Jesus was truly the Son of God by virtue of his infinite 
love for all mankind; and Jesus knew that Peter loved his fel- 
low men as being brethren of his divine Lord. He therefore said 
unto him : Thou art Peter ; firm as a rock in thy love, and upon 
this foundation of Love will I build my Church. For against 
Love for me, even the gates of death shall not prevail. And with 
this, the Lord Jesus confided to Peter the Supervision of Instruc- 
tion for such of his disciples who could follow a shepherd, and 
depended on him to select the right pastures where they should 
obtain nourishing food and clean waters, instead of dry brambles 
with polluted streams. 

To the care of John, as nearest of kin, and in every other 
v/ay adequate for the charge, Jesus committed his beloved 
Mother. He knew that when the Chief Priests should succeed 
in murdering him, they would proceed not only to rob and perse- 
cute, but would also seek to put the Lady Mary a to death. 

Great sorrow filled the hearts of the disciples, because in the 
provisions made for the work of the Church, the earthly interests 
of the Master, and the disruption of their communal mode of 


420 


lESAT NASSAR. 


life, they realized that they must be prepared to lose the compan- 
ionship of their Lord. How could they live without it ? To 
whom should they turn for counsel and assistance in cases of 
uncertainty and times of danger if their Master were taken away 
from them ? 

Jesus assured them that his work and doctrines had taken 
such firm root in the minds and hearts of men that his death 
could not destroy nor obliterate them. In the event of his de- 
parture his spirit would influence and permeate the entire Church 
of God. So long as he remained with them in the body on earth, 
his power was limited ; but after his departure he would return 
in the fullness and power of the spirit, and be their helper and 
comforter throughout the ages. 

He had taught them many things, the full meaning of which 
they could not understand. But as they encountered different 
phases of life in the course of human events, he would recall to 
their remembrance such instructions as would guide them safely 
in the circumstances and through the difficulties of the occasion. 
Thus would their dear Lord be always present with them and 
with all his followers even unto the end of the world. Their 
moral and spiritual nature would also become more perfectly de- 
veloped, strengthened and enlarged when they were obliged to 
stand alone, because deprived of his bodily presence. 

But in order to grow in spiritual power and grace, and to re- 
tain the ability to commune with him through the Holy Spirit, 
the disciples of Jesus must ever be on their guard and watch the 
course of human events intelligently. They must beware of the 
false men who from time to time would appear in His name or 
as His Representatives. Some of these would perform such 
signs and wonders as should almost lead the initiated astray, and 
would present these as credentials of Divine Authority. Against 
such the Master bade them be on special guard. 

The disciples asked the Lord what and when would be the 


JESUS As. JUDAISK AND ESSENlSM. 


421 


consummation of that age of political and ecclesiastical wrong, 
oppression, deception and error ? 

Jesus instructed them that when the Jews of Judea should 
rise in open rebellion and engage in warfare against the govern- 
ment of Rome, their Hierocracy would be destroyed, never 
again to rise as a temporal power centralized at Jerusalem. But 
that would not be the end of their spiritual sway, nor the re- 
demption of mankind from political and ecclesiastical errors and 
troubles. Consequently, wars and tumults and rumors of wars 
would continue to take place among nations and kingdoms. 
Physical phenomena of all kinds, being the results of tlie work- 
ings or transgression of nature’s laws, would continue to be seen 
and felt on the earth. But the Church of Jesus must not regard 
any of these things as signs of the great consummation. 

'Phe time would however surely come when the Spirit of 
Truth and Research would possess mankind ; and this would 
cause much perplexity, on account of the ignorance of some and 
the opposition of others. 

The political and religious systems of the Gentiles (the Sun) 
would fail to satisfy the nations; and the religious system of 
Judaism, (the Moon) which at best was but a pale reflection of 
an earlier and purer creed, should no longer be accepted as a 
direct reflection of the Light of God. 

The state of men’s minds while undergoing such transition 
would be as the roaring of the sea and raging of the billows 
during a great storm. Society would be filled with apprehen- 
sion regarding the final results of such upheaval of the old 
systems ; not having heeded the signs which gradually but 
surely heralded the coming triumph of Truth and Knowledge 
over Fraud and Ignorance; the triumph of the kingdom of 
the All-Father and His Son Jesus over the Powers of Darkness. 

But this great religious and political transition and upheaval 
which would terrify the unprepared, must to the Church of 
Jesus be the great sign of deliverance; the herald that its re- 


422 


lESAT NASSAR. 


demption was nigh. For the Son of Man shall have his mes- 
sengers in all lands, searching diligently and honestly for the 
truths of the past, whereby to correct the existing errors of that 
time. Thus will the elect be united from one end of heaven to 
the other, and men shall see their Lord and Master Jesus as He 
is; for the light of His love and of His teachings will at last have 
pierced the clouds that so long obscured the spiritual under- 
standing. 

The whole wide world for Jesus ! this shall our watchword be. 

Upon the highest mountains ; across the widest sea ; 

The whole wide world for Jesus ! Oh faint not by the way ; 

Our Lord will surely conquer in this our glorious day. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXVII. Also pages of 
same, 526, 531-534. 


THE SNARE. 


423 


CHAPTER XXXVIII. 


THE SNARE, 

When the chief priests and rulers of the Jews found that the 
number of the followers of Jesus was constantly on the increase, 
they again took counsel how they might get him into their hands 
to kill him. They deeply regretted that they had not put him to 
death on the same day on which they had passed sentence upon 
him. 

Among other advisers at this meeting Judas suggested to the 
council that he should be again sent into the camp of Jesus and 
lus disciples. He was botli a physician and Essene, and he felt 
confident that he would have very little trouble in being read- 
mitted to the society. Jesus and his disciples were of very for- 
giving natures, and a passionate declaration of repentance on his 
part, or an explanation that he had been misguided would be 
sure to move their generous hearts. Once back to the fold of 
Jesus, Judas would know all about his movements, and could 
find an opportunity to have him arrested by the Jewish hiero- 
cracy. 

This suggestion was adopted, and Judas succeeded in rejoin- 
ing the company of Jesus. 

In the meantime the pontiffs Caiaphas, Annas and Eleazar 
were not idle, but did their utmost to influence Queen Helena 
and King Izates against Jesus. To this end they employed all 
the arts of diplomacy and all possible religious arguments to in- 
duce the King and Queen to give them a formal legal permit for 
the trial of Jesus by the Sanhedrim, on the charge of heresy. 
Armed with such authority, they could defy Pilate, who would be 
forced to give them the needed additional permit to convene the 
Sanhedrim for such trial. 

Several months later, Judas returned with the intelligence that 


lESAT NASSAR. 


424 

he nad remained so long in the enemy’s camp until he found an 
opportunity to ascertain how many of the followers and retainers 
of Jesus could be relied upon to desert from his authority under 
various pretexts. He had concocted a scheme which he now 
submitted to them for consideration. This was to make a sudden 
and unexpected assault, during which Jesus should be seized and 
delivered to the chief priests. But Caiaphas and Annas feared 
to proceed to open hostilities against Jesus in Galilee, lest there- 
by they might bring themselves into trouble with the Roman 
Government and be deposed for exceeding their authority- The 
followers of J esus had increased in great numbers in that region, 
and a large proportion of them had sufficient influence to make 
even the chief priests careful not to provoke them too far. 

They again held a consultation and decided to resort to their 
most effective weapons of hyprocrisy and guile by which to lure 
Jesus into Judea, where he would practically be in their power. 
By special messengers they sent Jesus a letter purporting to ex- 
press their contrition, for the repeated wrongs they had done 
him and also a dawning conviction of the divinity of his love and 
mission. They further besought him to grant them another 
opportunity to learn of him, and invited him to come and labor 
among them in Judea. 

A large number of the Essenes who were not sufficiently free 
from the yoke of spiritual bondage to perceive the hypocrisy and 
craft of the chief priests of the Jews, urged Jesus to avail himself 
of this opportunity to manifest himself to them. But the Lord 
knew their guileful natures and crooked ways, and returned a 
message that if these Jewish sages desired to witness his work 
they could come to him. 

Upon this the chief priests again held a council and formed a 
plan to carry out their design to arrest Jesus. Knowing that he 
still trusted himself among the Essenes, they decided to set a 
snare for him through the people of that sect. With the hypo- 
crisy and guile in which they were such adepts, Caiaphas, Annas 


the snare. 


4^S 


and Eleazer ingratiated themselves with the leading elders of the 
Essenes in J udea under the pretense of seeking for some means 
by which to conciliate the large numbers of Essenes and Jews 
who had transgressed the laws of their respective sects, and were 
at the time living according to the precepts of Jesus. These 
chief priests represented that if the doctrines of Jesus had not 
been in such direct contradiction to the rules of Essenism, there 
would be no cause for fear of a disruption of Judaism as a na- 
tional religion. But if they allowed Jesus to continue his course 
unchecked and unhindered, all men would finally believe his doc- 
trines, be guided by his precepts and become his followers. The 
results of this would be, that the Roman Government would 
cease to recognize the Jewish hieocracy as the lawful administra- 
tion of a national religion, and would deprive them of temporal 
power over their present co-religionists, whether Jews or Essenes. 

When they had sufficiently aroused the apprehensions of the 
Essene Elders, the chief priests proceeded to unfold their plan 
for conciliation by arbitration. They informed the Essenes of the 
advances they had made to Jesus, but he had evidently mis- 
trusted their good faith. Now, if the Essene Elders would use 
their authority or influence with Jesus, in such manner as to 
cause a cessation of the promulgation of doctrines that were 
antagonistic to precepts which Essenism held to be indespensa- 
ble to a godly life, they would not only perform their duty 
towards the preservation of their own community, but also of 
the Jewish sacred laws. Resolute action alone would stem the 
tide of unbelief and doubt in regard to sanctity and divine autho- 
rity of the initiates in spiritual mysteries. 

Finally, the chief priests proposed that the Essene elders 
should persuade Jesus to come to Jerusalem to a conference on 
religious matters. They represented that there was a very large 
number of priests and other teachers of the people who were hon- 
estly anxious to discuss with Jesus, those doctrines on which he 
differed from Essenism and Judaism. It would be impossible 


426 lESAT NASSAR. 

for all these to travel to Jesus, and therefore it was his duty to 
come to them. 

The Essene elders felt that they were obliged to recognize 
the influence that Jesus had acquired over their people, and 
agreed to act in accordance with the proposition of the chief 
priests. 

The appeal to their discrimination, religious zeal and love of 
justice, flattered certain Essenes whose sympathy was soon en- 
listed, and whose active influence was immediately brought to 
bear upon such of the elders and influential members of the sect 
whose assent was indispensable for the convention of a court of 
judgment upon Jesus. 

The most unwearied and successful worker among these was 
Judas Iscariot. His rabbinical training had taught him that 
every Gentile has his price, either mental, moral or material.” 
Consequently, with subtle discernment he appealed to the intel- 
lectual vanity that craves recognition, the jealousy that envies 
superiority, the religious pride that secretly hates a rival, the 
self-complacent virtue that brooks no question of its own perfec- 
tion, the austerity which has no sympathy for human weakness 
and the ambition that must raise itself even if by the ruin of 
others. 

Essene doctrines imposed upon the members of the sect the 
duty of a rigid watch and suppression of all those senses and 
passions that could be assailed by the grosser temptations for 
material indulgence. But their excessive zeal against the carnal 
left the defenses of their intellectual and perceptive faculties very 
inefflciently protected against the wiles of rabbinical attack. 

Such training among the Essenes accounted for the fact that 
although the Essene Convention consisted of men who had as- 
sembled with an honest purpose to consider ways and means 
whereby, to a certain extent, religious union might been effected 
between Essenism, Judaism, and the doctrines taught by Jesus, 


THE SNAkE. 427 

yet the great majority had already become tools of the Jewish 
chief priests. 

This assembly of over one hundred white-robed Essenes 
was a beautiful and impressive scene. Their physical propor- 
tions were fine and manly, having been brought to perfection 
through generations, by moderate healthful labor and moral 
mode of life. There was also no lack of great beauty of face as 
well as of form. Refinement, courtesy, kindliness and self-denial 
were legibly stamped upon almost every countenance. Added to 
this, the exceeding cleanliness of person, the glistening purity of 
the white robes, the kindly manners and gentle ways of speech 
would have convinced the average on-looker that he had indeed 
come among the sons of God, the living types of perfect man- 
hood. 

But the close observer would have felt that, with a few ex- 
ceptions in that grand gathering, there was something lacking of 
that harmony of proportions which converts the beautiful and 
impressive into the majestic and sublime. 

The average student of human nature would probably have 
been well pleased with the general appearance of this great Es- 
sene gathering. The physiologist would have been gladdened 
at the sight of these symmetrically built men, and a physiognom- 
ist would have been well pleased with the clear-cut features, un- 
distorted by dissipation, and with the general expression of in- 
telligence and kindliness. But the student of phrenology would 
have found cause for regret in looking at the members of this as- 
sembly. Not that the heads of most of them were ill-formed ; 
for that would simply have aroused a feeling of repulsion. But 
it was very sad to see that the great majority of the heads were 
small in proportion to their bodies, and seemed to have suddenly 
stopped growing during the physical development of the individu- 
als, although they retained their original symmetrical forms. 

Was this an indication that soon after passing through the 
stage of ambitious and aspiring youth, and on entering a pro- 


428 


lESAT NASSAR. 


fession that prescribed certain rigid rules, and forbid independent 
investigation and research, their brains had really stopped the 
hard labor of original thought, and contented themselves with 
simply musing over prescribed doctrines and dogmas ? 

Scientists say that the head of a human being who is not 
afraid to delve deep in the domain of thought will continue to 
grow and develop even after the body has reached its full state 
of physical development. 

Alas for the chances that justice would be meted out in the 
cause of tbe Divine One, on whom these Essenes had gathered 
to sit in judgment. And alas ! for the many yet unborn genera- 
tions of men, who would follow their Great Master^s example 
and dare to assert the rights of individual independent thought 
in spiritual matters. The majority of the heads of the men in 
this otherwise noble assembly of Essenes, had ceased to develope 
and expand before they had attained their thirtieth year. These 
men would have repudiated with scorn, the allegation that with 
them the power of intellectual growth and development through 
independent thought and judgment, had been fossilized into the 
form of meditation and musing upon the dogmas and precepts 
prepared for them by the ancient legislators and elders of their 
creed, and yet it was so nevertheless. 

With the same shrewd tact by which he had succeeded in 
bringing about the selection of a certain class of men to sit in 
convention on this particular occasion, did Judas now labor to 
imbue these men with an obstinate determination to .bring Jesus 
to their terms, and to force him to promise that both by example 
and by precept, he would cease to antagonize the dogmas of the 
Essenes regarding abstinence in food and drink, ascetism in 
mode of life, and prohibition of hired domestic service. The al- 
ternative should be his excommunication from the Society of the 
Essenes. 

The debate in the Essene Convention was long and weari- 
some from its persistent reiteration of the inefificacy of faith in 


THE SNARE, 


429 

God and charity to mankind without the practise of the rigid 
self-abnegation and self-denial which were necessary for salva- 
tion, as had been interpreted by the ancient founders of their 
creed. A few members raised their voices in • dissent, but such 
were quickly silenced by thinly veiled insinuations, as also by 
open accusations of being already tainted with heresy. 

The training and doctrines of Judaism had thoroughly im- 
pregnated Judas with the belief that a superabundance of all 
material pleasures with an innumerable host of Gentile slaves to 
to serve them, was the highest reward that the Jehovah of Israel 
could have conceived and promised for his chosen people. This 
insistance on voluntary resignation of such good things, as a 
means of salvation, was even more than a weariness to Judas; 
it was an absurdity, it was blasphemy, except that perchance 
through the self-denial of the Gentile, Israel might enjoy the 
good things more abundantly. 

At last the perseverance and patience of Judas were re- 
warded. The members of the Convention were in the main 
finally convinced, and agreed that it was their bounden duty to 
adopt a course of action which should prove a powerful and 
effective check to heresy. 

The vote was taken; the full number of one hundred assent- 
ing votes that were necessary before sentence could be passed, 
were polled. — The sentence was passed. — The Lord Jesus was 
to be officially summoned to a conference with the Elders. 

If he agreed to recant his antagonistic doctrines, he should 
continue to be protected and respected as an honorable member 
in good standing in the community of the Essenes throughout 
the world. But if he should refuse thus to conciliate the ap- 
pointed interpreters of the faith that had been delivered to them 
by their ancient Saints, the Lord Jesus would, by virtue of the 
vote of the Convention, be excommunicated for heresy from the 
community of the Essenes. This would leave Jesus defenceless 


430 


lESAT NASSAR. 


and exposea to the terrible consequences and penalties that 
would surely follow such ban. 

Absolute silence reigned for a time after the dread resolve 
was passed concerning the Lord Jesus. Even through such fos- 
silized intellects, glimmered for a moment the searching rays of 
the God of Idght as they asked themselves : What, if it should 
be possible that Jesus teaches the truth, and that our ancient 
saints imposed upon us dogmas of their own devising? — But they 
hastened to stifle such doubts as temptations of the Evil One. 

In accordance with the customs of the Medes and Persians, 
whence they originally came, a course of action once determined 
by the necessary vote, and the sentence passed, nothing could 
thereafter alter the decree of the Court of Judgment of the 
Essenes. But the resolution that was passed was kept a pro- 
found secret from all who might possibly have revealed its nature 
to Jesus or to his friends. 

A letter was sent to Jesus. It expressed an earnest desire 
and request from the representative Elders of the Essene com- 
munity in Judea, for a conference with the Lord Jesus. The 
object of this meeting was to confer on the possibility and advisa- 
bility of a conciliatory adjustment of the differences in some of 
the doctrines that they respectively taught. It was admitted 
that in deference to his rank and influence, delegates ought to be 
sent to him, yet as so large a number who could not possibly 
take the journey to Galilee were anxious to see him, they be- 
sought Jesus to come to them. The seventh weekly sacred festi- 
val, which would fall about seven weeks before the Jewish 
Passover, was the occasion selected for holding the proposed 
conference. 

On receipt of this letter, Jesus took counsel with his most 
trusted and faithful disciples. Some of the apostles endeavored 
to dissuade him from going to Judea, on account of the danger 
he would incur from the deadly enmity of the chief priests of the 
Jews. But as the letter expressed also the decision of the Con- 


■ THE SNARE. 


431 


vention that, as an Essen e, Jesus would be expected to obey its 
request that he should be present at the Conference, it was 
therefore unanimously conceded that it would not be prudent to 
risk forfeiture of the support and protection of the Essene com- 
munity by a disregard of the order of the Convention. 

Then Didymus, who had been most earnest in the endeavor 
to dissuade Jesus from trusting himself again in Judea, rose up, 
and addressing his fellow disciples, said : If ye believe that our 
Lord must needs go thither, let all of us who are faithful, accom- 
pany our dear Master, to keep watch and to defend him from 
snares or assaults; and let us be prepared also to die for him or 
with him should the enemy prove too strong for us. — And so 
also, said all the followers of Jesus. 

An answer of assent to their summons was accordingly sent 
to the Essene Elders in Judea. However, the intended visit of 
the Master to the Conference, was kept strictly secret; and when 
the Essenes of the place where Jesus was then residing, had 
already departed for Jerusalem, the disciples were further charged 
to tell no man, outside of their own party, that Jesus was in their 
company. In this manner without any publicity, but as it were 
in secret,” the Lord Jesus made his last journey to Jerusalem. 

Through the agency of Judas Iscariot, the chief priests of the 
Jews were made acquainted with the answer sent by Jesus to the 
Essene Elders ; and they immediately made arrangements with 
tlie large band of the followers of Bar Abbas, who professedly 
were Zealots, but in reality robbers. These were instructed to lie 
in ambush at different points outside the city, and to hold them- 
selves in readiness to seize Jesus at the shortest notice. Bar 
Abbas himself had been arrested by the Roman authorities some 
time previously. He had been tried for raising seditious tumults, 
for robbery and for murder. He had been found guilty of many 
such crimes, and was condemned to death; and now lay in 
prison awaiting execution. His followers, consisting of many 
hundreds of men, had not disbanded ; but under the secret pro- 


432 


lESAT NASSAR.* 


tection of, and in collusion with, the chief priests, were always 
ready to commit any lawlessness and every crime for money or 
other rewards. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXVIII. 


THE LAST MEETING. 


433 


CHAPTER XXXIX. 


THE LAST MEETING. 

With his disciples Jesus traveled unrecognized and safely un- 
til they arrived at Bethany. From that town the Lord sent Peter 
and John on before him to Jerusalem to Joseph of Arimathea to 
give him notice that Jesus was on the way. 

The disciples were further instructed to tell Joseph that the 
Master would celebrate the seventh week sacred festival at his 
house; also to request him to have all things necessary prepared 
for the occasion. Joseph of Arimathea was also commissioned 
to notify the Essene Elders, who had been appointed to attend 
the conference, that Jesus Nassar would receive them at Joseph’s 
house. 

This house standing in the centre of a large and beautiful 
garden was situated on Mount Zion, just within the outermost 
city wall, and adjoined the grounds of a house that was the prop- 
erty of the apostle John. Consequently no suspicion would be 
aroused on account of his appearance in the vicinity with Peter, 
if any spies of the chief priests should happen to be about. The 
place could also be reached without traversing any of the city’s 
thoroughfares ; being accessible by a small gate in the city wall, 
called the Gate of the Essen es. 

It was late in the afternoon of a chilly winter’s day, and the 
sun was sinking among the rose-red clouds, behind the summer 
houses and silvery grey-green olive trees above the Pool of the 
Waters of Millo. The lofty battlemented city walls, the fortress 
towers, the castle-like fortifications and roofs of interior palaces, 
stood out grey-white, distinct and cold against the background 
of the purple-blue tinted Mountains of Moab, and under the 
clear pale blue of the sky. A party of men came around and 
down the southern slope of the Mount of Olives. That these 

28 


434 


lESAT NASSAE. 


men were of the sect of the Essenes might have been known by 
their outer garments, for they were enveloped in the ample folds 
of the white hooded cloaks of that order. The party attracted 
no particular notice from the chance passer by, to or from Jeru- 
salem or Siloam ; since it was common enough to meet the Es- 
senes journeying between their colony at Bethany, and their city 
quarter on Ophel. In this portion of Jerusalem besides the pal- 
ace of Prince Monabaz there were numerous residences of 
Parthians, both Zoroastrians and Essenes. 

Perhaps for other reasons, or because the atmosphere was 
rapidly growing colder and damper, every man in that party of 
Essenes that came from behind the Mount of Olives had drawn 
the large hood over his head. Each of them had also arranged 
the inner wrap in such manner as to conceal the face so well 
that even a close observer could distinguish neither features nor 
figure. 

The party descended into the valley of the Kedron, crossed 
the brook, and wending their ways between the vegetable and 
fruit gardens of the dale, ascended the opposite hill of Zion and 
entered the city by the gate of the Essenes. Continuing their 
way up the mountain towards the south-west, they finally arrived 
at the residence of Joseph of Arimathea. 

Evidently this particular party had been expected ; for the 
porter stood on guard at the entrance gate which was open. 
One of the men in advance, who was Didymus, addressed the 
porter and said: The Master saith; ‘‘Where is my guest cham- 
ber?” With a profound salutation, the man on guard replied: 
“ Blessed is He that cometh; therefore, enter my lords.” 

At these words, Joseph of Arimathea, who had been waiting 
just within the gateway, came forward as Jesus stepped across 
the threshold with the greeting : “ Peace be to this household.” 

But as soon as the Lord had passed in with his disciples, the 
gate was immediately closed, bolted and barred. After this, all 
other comers were first examined and questioned through the 


THE LAST MEETING. 435 

small, iron-barred and latticed oriel-window of the porter’s lodge, 
before gaining admittance. 

When the Essen es Elders, who had been appointed as arbi- 
trators for this conference, arrived and entered the hall of meet- 
ing, Judas Iscariot was among them. To some of those who 
had come with Jesus, as also to the other Essenes, the presence 
of Judas among their Elders on this important occasion was suf- 
ficient guarantee for his honesty and good faith. But when Jesus 
saw him, he knew that he had been treacherously drawn into a 
snare; since Judas could be present only with the object of 
creating dissension and widening differences between him and 
the Essene Elders ; as also of betraying the results of the con- 
ference to the chief priests of the Jews. He therefore warned 
the Elders that the traitor was among them, but Judas had in- 
gratiated himself too thoroughly for them to heed the Master’s 
warning; and they were soon after engaged in contention among 
themselves, as to which of them should be appointed Moderator 
of the Conference. 

Finally, Judas triumphed. He had laid claim to that office 
in his three fold character of Jewish rabbi, Essene elder, and 
apostle of Jesus. He had argued that he was in sympathy with 
all and prejudiced against none of them ; that he only sought to 
benefit humanity, and would consequently be the least biased, 
and altogether impartial in his judgment and decision. Failing 
to agree in the choice of one of their own people, the Essene ar 
bitrators, blinded by jealousy of each other, by egotism, and by 
the plausible arguments of the traitor, agreed to appoint Judas 
Iscariot as Moderator, 

With numerous specious pretences and suavely crafty argu- 
ments, did Judas Iscariot influence the Elders, during the con- 
ference, to insist and demand that Jesus should repudiate all of 
his most essential teachings and precepts which conflicted with 
the dogmas of the Essenes. But the Great Master could not 

' f f 


43 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


agree to forsake the cause of Truth, nor to cease to teach men 
the will of the All-Father. 

The conference closed with the Essene arbitrators in official 
opposition to Jesus, and with a decree of excommunication of 
their Society for heresy against the Lord Jesus. 

Having successfully accomplished what he had come to effect 
at the conference, Judas Iscariot excused himself from further 
attendance, on the plea of having pressing engagements to per- 
form some religious and charitable duties of his office as treasurer 
of one of the Essene communities. 

When Judas had gone away, the Elders who had been his 
pliant tools also soon took their departure. Then those of the 
company who were the faithful friends of Jesus held a consulta- 
tion with him. Jesus was now placed under the ban of the 
Essene community as well as under the great excommunication 
of the Jewish priesthood. Judas Iscariot, whom they now sus- 
pected to have been present as an emissary of the chief 
priests, knew where he was to be found ; it would consequently 
not be safe for Jesus to stay in the house any longer. All other 
houses where he was wont to visit in the city would now be, and 
perchance already were, watched by the spies of the chief priests. 
Finally they concluded that the safest plan for Jesus would be to 
leave Jerusalem with his disciples immediately. By leaving the 
city at night they would doubtless elude the spies of the chief 
priests and cross the Judean boundary before their escape became 
known to their enemies. They were not to delay to cross the 
Jordan, and then they were to journey southward to Egypt where 
Jesus would be safe for a while until his friends could devise some 
means by which he could be effectually protected. 

The original plan had been that Jesus should leave the city 
at the dawn of day, and with the principal apostles who had 
come with him, go to the wall-enclosed garden that was the 
burial place of his grandparents. This was situated at the foot 
of the northern slope of the Mount of Olives, and the Brook 


THE LAST MEETING. 


437 


Kedron ran by its boundary wall. Here some of the faithful 
followers were to meet Jesus, and another party would join them 
further on the journey, on the summit of the mountain at Viri 
Galilei. 

Great sorrow filled the hearts of the faithful .friends, who 
must needs now bid their beloved Lord a long, and possibly a 
lifelong farewell. But he spoke loving words of comfort to 
them, and bade them remember that if they should see him no 
more in this world, it would be but for a little while; for they 
would meet him again in the many mansions of the All-Father^s 
house, of which he had so often spoken to them. 

Joseph of Arimathea had sent his trusted servants to station 
themselves, at a short distance from each other, along the route 
from his house to the Gate of the Essenes. They received in- 
structions to give each other warning by certain signals, if they 
should notice any person or party lurking at any place within 
sight of the road that led from their master’s house to the city 
gate. The Gate of the Essenes was only at a short distance from 
the house, and when by the preconcerted signals of the men on 
watch along the route Joseph ascertained that the neighborhood 
was clear of spies and other dangers, he escorted Jesus and his 
disciples to the small city gate. For the opening of the postern 
of this gate at any hour of the night, Joseph of Arimathea held 
an order from the Roman authorities, and consequently was 
able to obtain egress for the party without delay. 

A final God-speed ; a farewell embrace between the de- 
voted friends, and Jesus passed out of the city with his faith- 
ful apostles into the darkness and silence of the night. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XXXIX. 


438 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XL. 


BETRAYAL AND ARREST. 

The Roman authorities permitted the high priests to em- 
1 loy a band of guards or police of their own, quite independent 
and irrespective of the Roman army and municipal police. 
These officially recognized guards of the high priests were re- 
cruited either from Jews or Gentiles, and were selected for their 
reckless daring rather than for any other qualifications. The 
high priests chose their guards chiefly from among those Jews 
that were known as the National party, or Zealots, who first 
appeared in guerilla robber bands, in the time of Herod the 
Great, under the leadership of one Ezkias. Under the pre- 
tense of Jewish patriotism and Jewish political aspirations for 
the establishment of a Jewish kingdom, these zealots com- 
mitted robberies, murders and all other crimes, either on tlieir 
own acconnt or as hirelings of others. 

The boldness and lawlessness of the pontifical guards, was in 
proportion to the avarice and injustice of the high priest who 
employed them. Each of these guards was, by Roman law, 
permitted to carry a strong oaken club or bludgeon, between two 
and three feet in length, and its round or oval head was stuck full 
of heavy iron nails. A loop at the handle served to hang it 
to the leathern girdle which like the bludgeon was universally 
used by that class of guards, and is still used by shepherds, 
peasants and nomads. 

Besides the bludgeon these guards each carried a terrible 
weapon. It was a short, curved dagger exceedingly sharp on 
both edges, and could inflict a wound that would cause death in 
a very short time, if not instantly. This kind of dagger is still 
called by many of the present inhabitants of Palestine, sickaye. 
The word sickaye, is undoubtedly derived from the Latin sicae 


BETRAYAL AND ARREST. 


439 


(sickle), which this dagger resembles, and by which name the 
Romans called it. Hence the ecclesiastical guards, the Zealots 
and robbers were by the Romans called Sicarii. When these 
Sicarii were in the city however they concealed this weapon under 
the outer garment for fear of being disarmed by the Roman 
authorities. With these daggers, the Sicarii secretly stabbed such 
as they desired to silence in a crowd, or had been hired to 
murder, or against whom they cherished enmity. 

The Zealot bands were headed and officered by notably 
aristrocratic, and supposedly pious members and descendants of 
the priestly families of the Jews. The occasions of the Jewish 
festivals were the great opportunities for the Zealots to raise 
seditious tumults and to commit murders ; for at such seasons they 
came into Jerusalem with the greatest security to worship 
Jehovah. At such times they mingled among crowds of citizens 
and pilgrims ; and if so minded, raised their voices in loud de- 
mand for privileges from, or seditious cries against, the Roman 
authorities. By a dagger thrust with one hand, while often ap- 
parently flourishing abludge on with the other, these Zealots 
quickly silenced such as attempted to raise their voices in dissent, 
or against them. Wearing no distinguishing costume from the 
city or rural populations, the Zealots, guerillas and ecclesiastical 
guards, committed crimes and raised disturbances with perfect 
freedom from fear, or chance of being implicated as a party, 
should any of their number fall into the hands of the Roman 
authorities. 

It was members of the ecclesiastical guards, or police, autho- 
rized and recognized by the Roman Government as such, that 
under order of the High Priest, were employed to arrest all per- 
sons who, professing Judaism, transgressed the Jewish religious 
laws. It was therefore a band of such ecclesiastical police, armed 
with bludgeons and daggers, that by order of the chief priests, 
was sent to join the robbers who already lay in ambush to arrest 
Jesus on the Mount of Olives, when he should come that way. 


440 


IE AT NASSAR. 


The chief priests were anxious to effect the arrest quietly, and 
to avoid combat with the followers of Jesus. They also knew 
that if his friends even suspected their intention, they would 
secrete the Master and elude their vigilance until his escape 
could be effected out of Judea and beyond their jurisdiction. For 
such reasons not a single man of the band knew against whom 
the order of arrest had been issued, and even the locality where 
the seizure was to be made was known only to their captain, who 
received orders to take his instructions from a rabbi that would 
meet him in a specified spot, and give him a certain sign. 

Judas had been notified to meet the Essene Elders at a cer- 
tain house, to attend the Conference ; but he had not been able 
to ascertain whether Jesus would also come to the same place. 
Consequently, in order to insure the arrest of Jesus in any case, 
Annas, as President of the Sanhedrim, had a band of his own 
police in readiness to start at a moment’s notice, to any portion 
of the city when they should receive word from J udas that the 
results of the Conference had been disastrous for Jesus. Asa 
means for such communication, a trusted member of Annas’ 
guard was detailed to act under J udas’ orders. 

When, in the company of several Essene Elders, Judas issued 
from the house where he had met them by appointment, he 
threw back his hood as though better to adjust his cloak, thus 
leaving his face and head exposed to view for a few seconds. 
The Essenes saw in this action nothing more than that of one 
who had not always worn the hooded cloak of their Society. But 
as soon as the party had proceeded some way up the street, a 
man, dressed as a common house servant and carrying a bundle, 
stepped out from under a vaulted doorway and took the same 
route. The sun was nearly set, the streets were filled with 
artisans, shopkeepers and others going and coming from the vari- 
ous vocations and labors of the day ; distinguishable in creed, 
profession, trade and social status, by the various costumes they 
ivore. Up the hilly streets of Zion, in a south-easterly direction, 


BETRAYAL AND ARREST. 


441 


went the party of white cloaked and hooded men ; and, threading 
his way in and out among pedestrians, riders and small flocks of 
sheep and goats that were coming into the city folds from pasture, 
came the man with the bundle in his hand ; never approaching 
near enough to be noticed, and never losing sight of that parti- 
cular group of Essenes. Yet all this was accomplished in so 
natural a manner, as one who was sent on some errand of simple 
domestic import. 

The quarter to which the white robed men wended their way 
on Mount Zion was eminently aristocratic; and the houses stood 
surrounded by gardens with trees, and enclosed by walls suf- 
ficiently high to shut out any view of the interiors from the streets 
nnd lanes. At this hour these were comparatively deserted, it 
being supper time and a cold winter evening on the first of the 
lunar month Adar, or early days of February ; when the dark- 
ness almost immediately follows the setting of the sun. 

When the party of Essenes, accompanied by Judas, stopped 
at the house of Joseph of Arimathea, the man with the bundle 
halted before a door at the further end of the street, as though 
waiting for admittance. After they had passed in and the gate 
closed behind them, the seeming domestic came on, and turned 
down a narrow lane that ran between two gardens : over whose 
walls the branches of trees had spread until they met and arched 
over the lane. Here he retired into the additional shadow of a 
deep recess formed by an angle of the wall, and untied the bundle 
he had been carrying. Out of the bundle he took a large white 
hooded cloak similar to those worn by Essenes, and quickly 
drew it over his garments. Then lowering his head and drawing 
over it the hood he returned through the lane to a point of van- 
tage where, unnoticed himself, he could see all who entered or 
issued from the dwelling of Joseph of Arimathea. 

At last, after a vigilant watch of several hours, he heard the 
sound of footsteps approaching from within, and then that of 
bolt, lock, and bar being withdrawn from the gate into which 


442 


lESAT NASSAR. 


J udas had passed. Absolutely motionless, he almost suspends 
his breath while he strains his power of vision as the door opens, 
and a man, wrapped in the white hooded cloak, appears and mo- 
mentarily raises the lower portion of this outer garment. At this 
signal, the spy walks into the middle of the street, and then slowly 
onwards towards the citadel of the city until overtaken by Judas. 
As the traitor passes the spy he exclaims in a low but perfectly 
distinct tone, and as though involuntarily: Ya Moshe Rabbona 
va Elia Nabeena! To this the spy responds: Samael Mallukh 
Ha Moveth ! ” d'he two men then walk on more swiftly, but 
silently, until they reach the large open square in front of the 
citadel palace of Herod the Great. Here they halt awhile, and 
Judas, speaking low, gives his instructions to the spy: Go and 
say unto him that sent thee these words : ‘‘ What thou doest, do 
quickly,” and he who sendeth this message, goeth unto the place 
ye wot of! 

The two men then parted. Judas traversed the city until he 
reached the temple enclosure, within which, near to the eastern 
gate, waited Eleazar with some of the chief priests, elders and 
temple officials. Also the band of ecclesiastical police, in readi- 
ness to act under his directions. 

The man to whom Judas had given the message, went di- 
rectly to the official residence of Annas, President of the Sanhe- 
drim and ex-high priest. This adjoined the temple area. When 
the message had been delivered, Annas bade the captain of his 
own special guard, whom he had reserved for this part of 
the work, to proceed with his men to the house of Joseph of 
Arimathea, and to demand and arrest the person of Jesus Nassar 
in the name of the President of the Court of Sanhedrim of Jer- 
usalem. This officer was a relative of Annas, and was known 
as the Mallukh Ha Moveth. The detachment of ecclesiastical 
police under his orders were armed with bludgeons and daggers. 
A number of them carried, on poles, lighted torches of pitch, tar 
and pine wood in iron crates, to light up the neighborhood of 


BETRAYAL AND ARREST. 443 

the house, and prevent the possibility of escape in the darkness 
to the surrounding gardens or houses. 

On arriving at the house of Joseph of Arimathea, they first 
surrounded the premises so as to cut oif all avenues of escape, 
and then demanded admittance in the name of the President of 
the Court of Sanhedrim and of the High Priest. To gain time 
for the farther escape of his Master, Joseph of Arimathea parleyed 
long and evasively before allowing his gates to be opened ; but 
■ being forced to afford them entrance, he finally informed the cap- 
tain that the Lord Jesus was no longer in his house. But he 
said this with such evident reluctance and hesitation that the 
Mallukh-Ha-Moveth suspected that he was not speaking with 
truth, and that t)erchance Jesus might be secreted about the 
place. He therefore ordered a thorough search to be made, 
which was done by his rough men with much rudeness and 
many vile imprecations. Finally, feeling satisfied that he whom 
they sought was not on the premises, the captain, with many 
curses on the master of the house for letting him waste so much 
time to no purpose, ordered his men to quit the place. The 
band, following their leader, took their way to the Gate of the 
Essenes, through which they passed out of the city, and then 
down the mountain on their way to join Judas, to search for 
the Lord Jesus in the places to which he was accustomed to re- 
sort on and around Mount Olivet. 

The Lord Jesus, with the disciples who accompanied him, be- 
ing perfectly acquainted with the ground on and around the Mount 
of Olives, proceeded on their way till they reached the Coeme- 
terium Garden. Outside-of this, the Master left the main body of 
his followers to meet him after a while, and taking with him Peter, 
John and James, he entered, and left them to watch on the inside 
of the entrance. 

On the way thither, they had conversed in low tones about 
the strange action of the Essene Elders. The disciples had be- 
come bewildered, and their faculties benumbed ; as often happens 


444 


lESAT NASSAR. 


to men on the eve of some great misfortune, or the facing of an 
unexpected but imminent crisis of life. 

Who can understand the awful agony of the Divine Son of 
Man on that night, when he was snared, excommunicated, and 
forsaken by those of his own race and people; and thus the 
more exposed as prey to be tracked, hunted and slain by his 
deadly foes, the chief priests of the Jews. 

For revealing the All-Father to his misguided and oppressed 
children, the Perfect Son of God was excommunicated by Jewish 
priests and Essen e elders; cast out of his Father’s vineyard by 
these faithless hireling husbandmen, in order that the inheritance 
might be theirs to instruct the human race. 

Will the All-Father now come to the aid of the only Son who 
served Him faithfully, never seeking his own glory ; and will He 
avert the dread doom pronounced upon him by the wicked hus- 
bandman ? 

Or, will He leave the murderers to wreak their envy, rancor 
and malignity upon His Holy One, and suffer him to be tortured 
soul and body, with the greatest of sorrows and of physical 
agonies that human heart can feel and mortal frame can bear ? 

The gang, several hundred strong, composed of Bar-Abbas’ 
Sicarii had come from their waiting-place on the other side of 
Mount Scopus, after the sunset glow had quite faded, and the 
early darkness had fallen upon the country. They distributed 
and concealed themselves among the trees, rocks and caves, on 
the Mount of Olives and in the valley of the Brook Kedron, in 
such a manner as to cut off all avenues of escape for any person 
or party that should once enter the ambuscade. 

The robbers were armed with bludgeons and daggers, and a 
certain number of them carried lanterns concealed under their 
cloaks, in readiness to be lighted instantly when required. They 
had received orders to keep strict watch whether any person or 
persons, coming from the city after the third hour of the night, 
should ente-r into the summer residences of the royal Parthians 


betrayal and arrest. 


44S 


or into the dwellings of their retainers. On the Garden Coemet- 
erium of the family of the Lady Marya they were to set a double 
watch ; for Judas Iscariot knew full well that Jesus often resorted, 
when sorrowful and weary, to this quiet retreat for prayer and 
restful meditation in the shadows of its wide spreading olive, cedar 
and cypress trees : and also that it was a rendezvous for him and 
his confidential trusty friends. 

In case such places were visited, lyers in wait were instantly to 
announce the fact to their captain by a signal like the hoot of an 
owl ; the number of hoots to indicate the locality, which thence- 
forth should be doubly guarded until the arrival of Eleazar, Gov- 
ernor of the Temple, with his officers and police. If any one was 
seen to leave the place after any persons had entered, such were to 
be followed and on no account allowed to escape until identified by 
Eleazar or one of the priests or elders who would be at the same 
place as their captain. Also, if after the hour indicated, any 
person or party of men coming out of the city, went straight 
towards Bethany, they were to be detained, by force if necesary, 
until examined by Eleazar or his coadjutors. Those roads were 
therefore ambuscaded with a sufficient number of Sicarii for such 
purpose. 

Finally when they should see a party come out of the city, 
bearing many lighted torches, they were to light their own lanterns 
under cover of their cloaks, and to conceal their light until they 
heard the crowing of a cock. At that sound, they must proceed 
with all speed to the spot whence the signal came. There they 
would find Eleazar, Governor of the Temple, and other chief 
priests and elders whom they were to protect; and were also to 
assist the captain of ecclesiastical police with his force, against all 
and any that resisted them. 

When the Lord Jesus with his disciples came down the hill of 
Zion, and directed their steps towards the Garden, they were 
being closely watched by the robbers in ambush, whose keen eye- 


446 


iESAT NASSAR. 


sight was well accustomed to distinguish objects even on darker 
nights. 

After the Master with the three apostles had entered the 
Coemeterium enclosure, and its small oaken, iron plated door 
had been closed for a few minutes, the shrill hoot of an owl, 
apparently from some trees outside the Garden, rose on the 
stillness. 

Clad in cloaks and headcloths of dust colored, brown gray 
materials, it was not possible to distinguish the lurking robbers 
from the boulders and the massive trunks of the olive trees. On 
hearing the signal, a number of them, crouching low, cautiously, 
stealthily and noiselessly approached the location indicated. The 
captain of these Sicarii placed himself well within view of the 
entrance. 

Eleazar and hia confederates were exceedingly delighted 
when they heard from Judas an account of all that had tran- 
spired at the Conference. Judas had. also told them that he had 
sent a message to Annas by the spy, and that he calculated that 
the ecclesiastical police were already on their way to arrest Jesus 
in the house of Joseph of Arimathea. 

Said Eleazar : It will be impossible for this usurper of the 
rights of Ecclesiastical Israel to escape us this time; for the 
watchmen of Zion do mark his steps, and if he be not taken in 
the city will surely fall into the hands of them that be zealous for 
the glory of the God of Jacob. But the time is precious; there- 
fore let us hasten to that Garden where, may he that troubleth the 
heritage of Jehovah, soon lie buried with his forefathers. The 
Captain of them that be zealous for the restoration of the King- 
dom of Judah and the house of David hath, by my orders, 
stationed messengers in such positions between himself and the 
outside of these city gates, that as soon as we shall pass out, we 
will receive word of all that hath been seen and heard since the 
Zealots have been on the watch. 

As Governor of the Temple, Eleazar was empowered to pass 


BETRAYAL AND ARREST. 


44 y 


through the postern of the Eastern City Gate any time of the 
night, accompanied by his attendants; and also to give orders 
for his police to pass in or out. But on this occasion, he had 
obtained a special permit to have one of the leaves of the City 
Gate itself, partly open for himself and attendants to re-enter the 
city during that night. 

With his company of priestly officers and police, several 
elders and Judas, Eleazar left the city through the postern gate. 
Showing to the Roman officer of the guard at the gate the special 
permit, he bade him hold himself in readiness to admit him on 
his return as was specified in the permit, and he explained that 
the large gate would have to be opened to admit the band should 
they capture the offending party whom they were pursuing. 

The officer examined the permit, and finding it genuine and 
correct, saluted and replied: It is well. — He knew that the 
chief priests and rulers of the Jews with their robber followers, 
were incessantly intriguing against each others lives, liberties, 
and property, or against that of some possible rival. Like all 
other Romans, he only regretted that these avaricious ecclesias- 
tics did not succeed in exterminating each other, and leave those 
of their people that were peaceable to live honestly unmolested. 

When the postern gate had closed behind them, a man came 
out from the deep shadows of a wide spreading olive tree, and 
singling out Eleazar, said in whispered tones : Oh my Master, 
since we have been on the watch, a small party of men came 
down from the city by the Gate of the Essenes. They walked 
together to where the road parts to lead up the northern slope of 
the mountain. There they parted; four of the number went on, 
and entered the Coemeterium of the family of the Lady Marya, 
and the rest dispersed among the dwellings of the retainers of the 
royal Parthians. Every one of those houses is under surveillance. 
The four who entered the Garden of the Coemeterium must be 
waiting for those who parted from them, or for others; as the 
door has been reopened since they entered, and one of them, 

■ i 


44 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Standing within the doorway looked out in all directions as 
though in expectation of the coming of some one. The captain 
awaits you under the great tree near the bridge. 

Eleazar with his coadjutors and Judas came close to each 
other, and held a whispered consultation. Then motioning to 
his attendants to draw near enough to hear his words, Eleazar 
addressed them in low tones : You must descend to the Coeme* 
terium of the family of the Lady Marya so cautiously, that you 
may not yourselves hear the tread of your feet on the earth ; and 
so silently, that the beasts of prey shall not distinguish your 
breath from the silence of the night. Creep down in the densest 
shadows, that your movements be not visible to the keenest eye 
of the birds of night. 

For, added Judas, there is no doubt that he whom we seek is 
either already in the Coemeterium Garden, or is expected to 
come thither. As we are not certain that he is one of the four 
who entered, our approach must not even be suspected ; other- 
wise he will surely escape us, if he is yet to come. If he be 
already inside, and discern any objects moving down the Mount 
Moriah, he will not come out, and the door of the Coemeterium 
enclosure is too strong to be forced. Neither would it be pru- 
dent to enter by forcing the door or scaling the walls ; since such 
action would not only bring us trouble from the Roman oppres- 
sors, but also raise all the proselytes and Essenes against us as 
desecrating the burial place of their princes. 

The right is always with Rabbi Judas, said Eleazar; therefore 
when we arrive, we must all lie concealed as near as possible to 
the Garden without being visible to those going in or out of the 
enclosure, until Rabbi Judas shall give us the sign, by embracing 
him whom we seek ; and who believeth the Rabbi to be his dis- 
ciple. At that sign, see that ye lose no time, but spring forward, 
seize him and hold him fast until we shall have bound him hand 
and foot, lest he or his followers, work some of their magic arts by 
which he may escape. 


BETRAYAL AND ARREST. 


449 


The band of ecclesiastical police assured their master with 
many ruffianly oaths and curses that he might trust them to seize 
and hold the Evil One himself, if they got the opportunity. These 
lawless-hardened men were not at all surprised nor shocked at 
the act of treachery about to be perpetrated by the Rabbi Judas. 
In their experience, every one of the chief priests would betray 
his colleague or superior, if he could advance his own interest 
thereby : and they themselves would not scruple to act in like 
manner for gain. 

Accustomed to approach softly and noiselessly when about to 
surround and fall upon their prey unawares, the party reached 
the place whither they were bound, without displacing even the 
smallest pebble under foot, or causing the faintest rustle of bush 
or branch near, or under which they stealthily passed. 

When* they came to the tree where the Captain of Bar- Abbas’ 
Sicarii waited, he informed Eleazar and Judas that just before 
they arrived, the door of the Garden enclosure had again been 
opened, and a man clad in Essene white cloak had looked out, 
waited awhile as if in expectation, and finally retreated and 
closed the door. 

As soon as Judas and Eleazar heard this, they knew that 
either Jesus himself or an additional escort was expected. Word 
was passed to the robbers to hold their lighted lanterns in readi- 
ness, and Rabbi Judas Iscariot took up his position on the road, 
a few feet from, and facing the gate of the Coemeterium, so that 
no one could leave nor approach the place without being recog- 
nized by him and intercepted if necessary. Eleazar, ex-high 
priest and Governor of the Temple, with the priests, elders and 
police who had come with him, also noiselessly placed them- 
selves in ambush on each side of the road. 

A little while after this, the Lord Jesus, looking up towards 
the city, saw a company of men with lighted torches, coming 
^long the slope of Moriah froin th^ direction of Zion. He di- 


lESAT NASSAR. 


450 

vined immediately that it was* the emmissaries of the chief priests 
on his track, which had been betrayed by Rabbi Judas. 

The three apostles, by reason of their position near the en- 
trance, could not command a view of any movements on the 
upper slopes of the surrounding hills. Like the disciples left on 
the outside, they were still too much bewildered to realize the 
stern necessity for speedy decision and prompt action. The 
Master now bid them : ‘‘Arise and go hence ” with him; for the 
emmissaries sent through the agency of the traitor were approach- 
ing to search for, and to seize him. 

The Lord Jesus with Peter, James and John, came out of 
the Garden, and the heavy door closed behind them. Rabbi 
Judas instantly recognized the divine Master; for although the 
three with him were grand specimens of manhood, yet even 
among them Jesus was of most kingly presence. Stepping for- 
ward out of the shadows in which he was concealed. Rabbi Judas 
Iscariot hastened to the Lord; threw his arms about his shoul- 
ders and clinging to him, he first exclaimed with a loud voice : 
“Hail Master!” and, “This is the Messiah!” After this he 
began to kiss the shoulders of Jesus, in accordance with the form 
of salutation. 

Repulsing him with royal dignity, the Lord replied : Judas, 
thou traitor ! betrayest thou the son of man with an embrace ? 

But as soon as Rabbi Judas had thrown his arms about the 
Lord Jesus, Eleazar gave the signal and uttered the shrill crow 
of a cock. The ecclesiastical police sprang out of ambush and 
closed round the group; the lights of the lanterns suddenly 
gleamed out over the hills and valley, as the ambushed Sicarrii 
seemed to rise out of the ground. 

Peter, first to recover his presence of mind, raised the rally- 
ing cry with all the force of his voice. — “ Hujam, Ya Subyan, 
hujam ! Itwahada ya Subyan, itwahada !” To the rescue ! Ho 
lads, to the rescue ! Rally ! Ho lads, rally ! 

In this call he was instantly joined by John and James, and 


V 


BETRAYAL AND ARREST, 


45 ^ 


soon numbers of armed retainers of the royal Parthians were 
rushing to the spot from all their dwellings ; accompanied by the 
disciples who had been left outside the Coemeterium. 

At the signal of the cock crow, the gang of Annas’ special 
guards, headed by the Mallukh Ha Moveth, came rushing down 
with all their speed; their blazing torches fitfully lighting up the 
surrounding hills, houses, gardens, trees and boulders. The glare 
of the blazing cressets fell on the rippling waters of the Brook 
Kedron as it wound its way along the valley, and brought out 
in strong relief the tree tops of the Coemeterium Garden, and 
showed the robber sicarii flourishing their bludgeons and daggers, 
holding lighted lanterns aloft, swarming from all directions to the 
place where the ecclesiastical police, with raised bludgeons and 
naked daggers drawn, had closed around one Kingly form : un- 
armed and clad in white garments. 

Peter was fighting desperately at the head of the rapidly 
gathering retainers and Essenes who lived in the vicinity, fighting 
to effect a rescue; and when the Malluk Ha Moveth arrived, 
Peter, singling him out, struck him down with his sword ; hoping^ 
by disabling the leaders, to create distraction among the attack- 
ing party, and to effect rescue and escape in the confusion. 

But alas ! the brave retainers and disciples were overpowered 
and defeated by overwhelming numbers; many of them, were 
desperately wounded and disabled, and some were slain ; first- 
fruits of the innumerable army of martyrs who, in the coming 
ages of many centuries, were, like their divine Lord and Master 
Jesus, to fall victims to the murderous doctrines of Judaism; 
that machine of the Power of Darkness, established by Ecclesiasti- 
cal Israel on the ignorance and credulity of men, who desired 
not, or dared not use the reason given them by the Creator of 
the Universe. 

Well guarded by a number of his robber band, Eleazar 
shrieked out his orders to bind the Lord Jesus hand and foot. 
With ropes, which they always carried for such occasions, the 


452 


lESAT NASSAR. 


ruffians bound the blessed hands which bad healed and fed and 
ministered to the wants of thousands of the children of men ; and 
they fettered the feet, which had never wearied nor faltered on 
errands of loving mercy and kindness. 

As soon as this was done, Eleazar, ex-High Priest and Gov- 
ernor of the Temple, and the priests and elders who had accom- 
panied him came forward and struck the Divine Man many liard 
blows; cursing, jeering and reviling Him all the while. 

After such exploits against a man powerless to defend himself, 
and which were ever distinctive characteristics of rabbinical 
valor, Eleazar gave the order to move forward with the prisoner, 
to the residence of Annas in the city. 

The hundreds of armed robbers, legalized as ecclesiastical 
police or honored as Zealots of their creed, all very worthy and 
most fit representatives of Judaism whose watchword was Ou 
Yehudim, ou Tzeluf!” (Either Judaism, or the Gallows), now 
surrounded the ever kindly, loving, life-saving Master; whose 
arms they had pinioned and whose feet they had fettered, so that 
He could not move without great suffering. 

The flare of the torches and the gleam ofthe lanterns lit up the 
supernatural beauty and dignity ofthe face and form of the Divine 
Man ; while it threw into strong contrast the malignantly gleeful 
countenances of Eleazar and his coadjutors, and the brutally satis- 
fied expressions of the Zealots, Sicarii and ecclesiastical police; 
who were vociferously congratulating one another upon the suc- 
cess of their strategems, and mentally gloating over the extra 
largesse promised them by Caiaphas, the High Priest, Annas, 
President of the Sanhedrim, and Eleazar, Governor of the 
Temple. 

Following in the rear of this multitude of man-hunters, came 
the disciples who had escaped being killed or disabled ; and also 
some of the principal retainers of the royal Parthians, on their 
way to report to the Queen Helena what had happened ; for she 
was in Jerusalem at that time. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XL, 


FORSAKEN. 


453 


CHAPTER XLI. 


FORSAKEN. 

Annas, President of the Court of Sanhedrim, waited with in- 
creasing impatience in his official residence. This was one of the 
ecclesiastical palaces that adjoined the Temple area. He had 
completed all the necessary preliminaries, whereby the Lord Jesus 
might, with strict conformity to Jewish law, be convicted as a 
religious seducer who induced the Jews to stray from the doc- 
trines of J udaism. 

This ecclesiastical palace, where Annas now awaited the re- 
sults of the expeditions and of other strategems to arrest Jesus, 
enclosed a large open court which was entered by a vaulted pas- 
sage. In this passage and within the vaulted gateway,, there 
were long stone seats built against the sides of the walls, for the 
accommodation of the doorkeeper and other servants. In the 
stone paved court there was a cistern with a stone guard 
around it, about two feet in height and six in circumference. 
In a small stone trough lay a leathern bucket with which to 
draw water, and as the cistern was deep the bucket was attached 
to a long rope. Several jars and mugs stood or lay around the 
cistern to hold water for the use or the thirsty among the 
attendants. 

The principal apartments of the palace which was three stories 
high, looked into this court ; and access to the upper stories was 
gained by a flight of stone steps leading up from the court. The 
bay windows of the upper stories projected from one to two feet, 
and were made of beautifully carved and painted wooden lattice 
work. These ornamental lattices shut out much of the light and 
sunshine, and screened the inmates from the view of persons out- 
side. But at the same time they admitted sufficient light and air, 
and afforded a perfect view of the court to those within. The 


4S4 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Stone stairways which ran up against the walls were protected by 
handrails. The whole palace was built of stone ; the walls, the 
floors, the domed and vaulted ceilings and roofs. 

The spacious hall that served as audience chamber, and for 
the reception of male visitors who were not on terms of intimacy 
with the ex-pontiff, was situated on the ground floor and opened 
on the large court. It was divided into three distinctive parts. 
About one-fifth of the floor of this hall, extending from the door 
inwards, was sunk from five to six inches lower than the thres- 
hold. This was the dargah, or lowest degree of the apartment. 
Servants and messengers never advanced beyond this space, and 
all visitors removed their shoes or sandals there, before ascending 
to the eewans or estrades, on either side of the dargah. The 
floor of this space was handsomely inlaid with white, black and 
red marble, and a fountain in the centre played into a small, 
shallow pool lined with colored marbles. 

Fronting the door, at the end of the dargah and about four 
feet high, a marble shelf was supported by three arches faced with 
inlaid marbles. Drinking cups and water pitchers of tasteful de- 
sign and costly material stood on the shelf The brazen perfum- 
ing vessels with a ewer and basin of the same material were 
placed under the arches. 

On either side of the lowered space or dargah of the large 
audience hall the floor was raised. On one side, about half of 
the space occupied by the hall, the floor was raised three feet 
above the level of the dargah and was reached by three steps 
leading up from the dargah in the centre. On the opposite end 
of the hall the floor was raised one foot from the level of the 
dargah. 

The raised portion of the floor of a room is called an eewan 
and used as a reception chamber. These eewans are not used 
indiscriminately, but the one which is raised the highest from the 
level of the dargah, ‘‘ the upper guest chamber,” is for the recep- 
tion of guests of a higher degree; those whose rank, wealth. 


FORSAKEN. 


4S5 


influence or other causes entitle them to greater consideration 
from the host or hostess than the mere acquaintance, the friend 
of humble social status or the visitor on a business errand. These 
latter are received in the eewan which is raised only one foot 
from the level of the dargah, the lower room.” 

The upper guest chamber in the audience hall of the President 
of the Sanhedrim was handsomely furnished. The floor was 
covered with costly rugs, and the low soft luxurious dewans that 
ran along three sides of this eewan were covered with gold em- 
broidered purple cloth. The side connecting it with the rest of 
the hall was partially screened by lattices of carved and fragrant 
cedar wood. There was an arched and pillared doorway in the 
centre of the screen and a large window of similar design on each 
side. These openings in the screens were furnished with gold 
and scarlet silken curtains which, when drawn, completely shut 
off the view of the interior of this upper guest chamber from the 
dargah and lower eewan. 

The floor of the opposite eewan, or lower room, was laid 
with fine matting made of fragrant broom straw, and its dewans 
were covered with heavy linen cloth of native manufacture in 
dark blue and red designs. This eewan was not screened by 
lattice work from the dargah, but simply partitioned off by orna- 
mental pillars and arches of cedar wood. 

The roof of the hall over the two eewans was vaulted, but 
that portion of it which was over the dargah was raised much 
higher, and supported a cupola of fretted stonework. 

The interior wall of this audience hall were covered with a 
cement made of lime which acquired the consistency and al- 
most the hardness of white marble. The surface of this cement 
was polished as smooth as glass and was of an ivory whiteness. 

A large lantern with sides of latticed brass work was sus- 
pended by long chains of gilt brass from the cupola over the 
dargah. 

On this night while Annas waited to hear the result of the ex- 


456 


lESAT NASSAR. 


pedition that had been sent out to arrest Jesus Nassar, the large 
brass lantern in the hall of audience was still lighted although 
the time was near midnight. The upper guest chamber was in 
deep shadow ; for the gold and silken curtains of the doorway 
and windows of the screen were drawn across, and the latticed 
brass lantern cast but a dim and chequered light upon the 
dargah. 

In the lower eewan, two solid candlesticks of brass each three 
feet in height, stood on the ground not far from the central 
eewan. On each side of the candlesticks a clay lamp was 
placed, in which a linen wick was fed by olive oil. These had 
been lighted for some time. 

Between the candlesticks, on a low stand of ebony inlaid 
with silver and mother of pearl, lay a brass inkhorn, some reed 
pens and a small roll of parchment, evidently in readiness for 
memoranda. 

Under the vaulted gateway of the residence that opened on 
the Temple grounds, a lamp was burning ; and another, sus- 
pended from the arched ceiling of the passage within, revealed 
about half a score of Annas’ guards sitting on the stone bench 
and on low rush bottomed stools around a charcoal fire that 
burned brightly in a large brazier. 

Occasionally the doorkeeper opened the gate and looked out, 
at which the men swore and cursed; because of the draughts of 
cold air that swept in at such times. As the night wore on and 
the atmosphere became more chilly, the men grumblingly dis- 
cussed the prospect of being obliged to wait all night for per- 
chance disappointment in the morning. 

What will it profit us, even if our companions be successful ? 
growled one. 

The President Annas will surely be generous in this case, 
suggested another; and will doubtless not fail to reward those 
who serve by watching and waiting for the return of the hunters, 
as well as those who will secure the prey for him. 


FORSAKEN. 


457 


I cannot understand, remarked a beardless Idumean youth 
but lately recruited into the service of Annas’ household, why the 
pontiffs should desire the destruction of a man who hath done 
naught but good ; for his generosity to the poor, the sick and the 
unlearned is never failing. Since the chief priests do not occupy 
themselves at all about the amelioration of the condition of such, 
why need they prevent this Jesus Nassar from performing the 
ministrations which the sacred priesthood of the Jehovah of 
Israel could not do, without becoming defiled through per- 
sonal contact or association with the ignorant and diseased ? 

For reply to these simple questions, there was first a loud 
laugh from the guards. Then the oldest of them spoke. 

Thou art but a youth and a simple one. If the sick he healed 
and the unlearned he enlightened without due authority from the 
chief priests I pray thee tell me, whence will the sacred priest- 
hood derive the tithes and the tributes, the offerings supplicatory, 
intermediary, expiatory, purificatory of body ? And would they 
not also lose the trade in sacrifices, thank offerings and other 
offerings which they extort from the people. What would be- 
come of their privilege*^ and the power they possess over the 
property, lives and death of their co-religionists ? — All this would 
pass away, and reduce them to the position of being as servants to 
minister to the needs of the people, instead of masters over their 
souls and bodies. — Remember also, O youth, that all animals, 
both birds and beasts, are divided into two classes, hunters and 
prey, the hunted animals being more numerous, in order that 
the supply for the consumption of the hunters may not fail in 
plenteousness. Now, the sons of men are the same. The chief 
priests and other initiates are the hunters ; the unlearned people, 
their natural prey. Would you enlighten them that they may 
all become initiates ? What would you do to any one who 
should warn off, or deliver the pray on which you subsisted, out 
of your hands ? Even so will the chief priests deal with this 
Jesus Nassar. 


45^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Alas ! exclaimed the youth, but it is a pity for so good a 
man. 

We all must live, answered the man ; and seeing that our 
trade flourishes under a regime like that of the chief priests of 
the Jews, and that we receive our share of the prey we secure 
for them, we are in duty bound to support them against all re^ 
formers of their practices. 

As the night deepened the impatience of Annas visibly in> 
creased. He now sat in one of the upper chambers, whose win- 
dows commanded a view of the temple area, across which, 
Eleazar with those that had accompanied him, would return. 

In company with Annas were two men; seemingly respect- 
able Jewish citizens when judged by their dress and general ap- 
pearance. But there was a furtive, treacherous glitter in their 
eyes which boded ill for any one against whom they should set 
themselves. 

Can it be possible that our vigil may prove to be in vain ? 
queried one of these men. 

Nay verily, replied Annas, methinks that this time we have 
taken all precautions against his escape , not only with those 
vacillating fools, Izates and Monabaz and their mother, but also 
for the prevention of his rescue by the Roman oppressor, Pontius 
Pilate. The Sun of the Gentiles hath been well darkened, in 
that the Essenes have abandoned this Jesus Nassar, whom also 
innumerable Pagans accepted as the promised messenger of the 
invisible God they adore through the visible Sun. But we shall 
triumph and quench the light of this Sun of the Gentiles, that the 
Moon of Israel alone may enlighten the nations of the Earth. 

The companions responded : Amen and Amen. 

Then Annas, looking again out of the window, exclaimed ; 
Blessed be the Jehovah of Israel! Look yonder, my friends, and 
see how the enemy hath been delivered into our hands. Let 
your eyes be brightened with the sight, and then will we de- 
scend before they arrive. 


t'ORSAKEN. 


4S9 


Scores of blazing cressets lit up the scene. Hundreds of 
men swarmed into the temple area through the eastern gate of 
the city. The ruffians had secreted their daggers and lowered 
their bludgeons before entering the gates ; for they would not 
have been permitted to pass in, displaying the former or brand- 
ishing the latter. All of them also had assumed the respectful 
mien of ecclesiastical police and rural citizens, which they were 
wont to adopt in the presence of the Roman authorities, in order 
not to create suspicion that the legalized bands had been re-en- 
forced by Sicarii outside the city. 

But it was the sight of the captive of regal form, in the white 
robe of an Essene, with the light from the cressets gleaming upon 
the golden hair of his uncovered head, which caused the hearts 
of Annas and his companions to swell joyfully with the prospect 
of triumph. 

Annas summoned the servant whose office it was to be ever 
within sight and hearing of his master, and bade him tell the 
doorkeeper to open the gate for the approaching multitude. Then 
they descended into the audience chamber where the two men 
secreted themselves from view behind the silken curtains of the 
principal eewan ; while Annas took his seat on the central couch 
of the opposite and lower estrade. 

The course which Annas with the other chief priests had re- 
solved to follow against Jesus was strictly conformable to Jewish 
law. The precedure against those who sought to lead the peo- 
ple away from Judaism was very clearly defined. 

Such were regarded as religious seducers, and were of two 
kinds; the Massith and the Maddiach. The first was he who 
privately seduced private individuals from Judaism, who spoke 
in praise of some other God than the Jewish one, and used the 
Hebrew language therefor. The Maddiach was he who publicly 
seduced the people from Judaism, and made* use of the language 
in common use among the people. 

Judicial ambuscade was constituted an essential portion of 


460 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the criminal process. When a man was accused of religious se- 
duction two witnesses were concealed behind a partition, and it 
was arranged to bring the accused into an adjoining apartment, 
in which he could be heard by the two witnesses without himself 
perceiving them. Two candles were lighted near him, that it 
might be fully established that the witnesses saw him.’’ Then 
he was made to repeat his blasphemy against Judaism. He was 
urged to retract. — If he persisted, the witnesses who had heard 
him, brought him to the tribunal, and he was stoned. 

The two friends of Annas had now therefore concealed them- 
selves in the principal eewan of the audience chamber, that they 
might act as unseen witnesses while Jesus was interrogated by 
Annas, President of the Sanhedrim, and thus become qualified to 
act as informers against him as a religious seducer of Jews. 

With the priests and elders who accompanied him, Eleazar 
walked immediately behind the guards who led Jesus, holding 
him by the cords that fettered him. Thus they entered the resi- 
dence and brought the Lord to stand between the lighted candle- 
sticks before Annas. The guards then retired into the court 
which was filled with Sicarii and ecclesiastical police. The 
burning cressets had been fixed into the sockets placed for such 
purpose about the court and near the door of the hall, lighting 
up the scene within. 

Then Annas began to put questions to Jesus concerning the 
doctrines and precepts which he taught, as to the manner they 
differed from those of Judaisrri, and also by what power he 
made so many disciples ? 

The Lord knew full well that these inquiries were not made 
with the honest purpose of obtaining information and enlighten- 
ment, but in order to entrap him into making some reply that 
could be distorted into proofs that he was a religious seducer of 
the people of the Jews. He therefore answered with sublime 
calm and dignity : I have spoken openly to the world ; I ever 
taught in synagogues and in the temple where all Jews come to- 


FORSAKEN. 461 

gether, and in secret I spake nothing. Why askest thou me ? 
Ask them that heard, what I spake unto them. 

A malignant scowl of disappointment and anger settled upon 
Annas’ countenance, as he realized that this only, was the result 
.of his crafty and well prepared trap. The Great Master had 
evidently understood and avoided the snare, leaving them baf- 
fled and without sufficient proof whereby to obtain the necessary 
permit from the Roman Governor for the Sanhedrim to bring 
him to trial. 

But the brutal Eleazar who stood by, raised his hand and 
struck Jesus, saying: Answerest thou the high priest so ? 

The Divine Son of Man knew what rancorous hate they 
nourished against him. He therefore replied no more ; and An- 
nas finding all efforts to entangle him by speech in vain, gave 
orders that the guards should convey Jesus, fettered as he was, 
to the almost adjoining official residence of the High Priest Caia- 
phas. There the chief priests, scribes and elders were gathered, 
waiting to learn of the success of their enterprise; but when 
they ascertained that Jesus had not committed himself by 
speech, they became enraged. Being long past midnight, they 
separated to meet again in council during the forenoon ; and 
Caiaphas demanded that Jesus should meanwhile be confined in 
the prison of this his ecclesiastical palace under a strong guard. 

The retainers, who had followed the captors of Jesus into the 
city, after ascertaining that he had been taken to the residence of 
the President of the Sanhedrim, went on to Queen Helena’s 
palace and reported what had occurred. Some of the disciples 
had accompanied them, while others remained behind to see what 
would be done with their Master, by Annas. 

The Queen made a pretense of inquiry for the sake of appear- 
ances before the disciples, retainers and servants ; but in fact she 
was not surprised that the chief priests had seized Jesus. 

After vacillating for a long time between her natural regard 
for the welfare and honor of her own kinsman on the one hand, 


lESAT NASSAR. 


462 

and her superstitious faith in Judaism combined with fear of the 
unlimited financial and political power to which the Jews had 
attained in her kingdom, on the other hand, Helena had 
finally yielded. She had persuaded King Izates likewise to sub- 
mit to the demands of the chief priests, that her kinsman Jesus 
Nassar should be formally and legally delivered over to them, to 
be tried for heresy. — The choice had been very plainly set forth 
to the Queen and the King. Either they delivered Jesus to be 
judged by the High Priest, or else that pontiff would excommu- 
nicate both sovereigns. This Helena knew full well, would set 
the whole machinery of Judaism throughout the world in motion, 
to deprive her and Izates of their kingdom, and would never cease 
until their total ruin or death had been accomplished. 

Forced to action by the strong remonstrances and appeal of 
disciples and the indignation of the retainers, none of whom even 
suspected the transaction that had taken place beween the sover- 
eigns of Adiabene and the rulers of the Jews, the Queen sum- 
moned her chief eunuch and bade him go and request the President 
of the Sanhedrim to appear before her with Jesus Nassar, in the 
morning. 

‘When Annas received the message, he sent Eleazar to inform 
Caiaphas. They knew full well that the interview would be a 
farce, by means of which Helena intended to be justified or ex- 
cused before the public for her attitude in the coming fate of 
Jesus. This made the trio very angry, since they no more desired 
to bear the odium than she did. So they agreed to go to the 
palace, accompanied by the principal Sanhedrim ; and to demon- 
strate very clearly to Helena, that she could neither revoke her 
action, nor cast the whole responsibility of the judicial murder on 
which they had determined, upon them. 

With much pomp and display, the High Priest with the cliief 
priests and principal rulers, proceeded to the palace of Helena in 
the forenoon. The imposing procession was headed by footmen 
dressed in red and white, who carried whips to clear the way. 


FORSAKEN. 


463 


Next walked the guards in gold embroidered garments of bright 
colors, and carrying silver maces. Behind these came the High 
Priests with Annas and Eleazar on either side, all gorgeously ar- 
rayed in rich purple and fine linen. After them walked the prin- 
cipal Sanhedrim in costly garb of priests, scribes or lawyers, ac- 
cording to their several professions. The ecclesiastical police were 
next in line, in gala dress of varicolored gowns, belted with red 
leather girdles, and red caps surrounded by scarlet turbans, and 
carrying their bludgeons in their right hands. 

Then came the Lord Jesus walking alone, wrapped in a white 
cloak. Behind him, and closing in all around, walked a large 
body of Zealot Sicarii to guard against escape or rescue of the 
captive. 

The news of the previous night’s arrest had circulated quickly 
through the city, and the streets were filled with crowds who had 
congregated in that quarter of the town to gather what further 
tidings they could. The respectable citizens now gazed at the 
noble captive with faces paling with pity and fear, and asked each 
other : If one so righteous and of such high degree hath no safety, 
who then shall dare to oppose the priesthood ? This, however, 
was exactly the impression which the chief priests had intended 
to produce, and with much satisfaction they now noted the ex- 
pressions of fear on the countenances of the multitude. Though 
at the same time their rancor against Jesus was increased, be- 
cause of the open sympathy in the faces of many of the women, 
many of whom smote their breasts and bowed their heads as they 
behelcL Jesus, who acknowledged this their tribute with a look of 
divine pity and love. 

The Queen received the chief priests in the audience cham- 
ber. This was not like the audience hall of the master of a house, 
situated on the ground floor, but on the second story which was 
reached by a stone stairway that led from the large open court of 
the palace. The audience chamber was a very large and lofty 
hall. An eewan, over three feet higher than the main floor, 


464 


lESAT NASSAR, 


occupied about one-third of the chamber. The eewan was covered 
with beautiful Persian rugs, and was surrounded by cushions. 

The main floor was paved with glass mosaics of variegated 
colors and arranged in beautiful designs. At the further end of 
the eewan were several large windows that overlooked the court- 
yard, and near the middle window sat Helena. She wore a robe 
of fur-lined loose coat of dark, rich colored cloth. Her coronet, 
in form like a halo and indicative of royal descent, was com- 
pletely covered by a large white veil of soft silken crape that 
fell below the waist at the back, while one side was drawn across 
the bosom. Somewhat behind her sat an elderly woman, her 
kinswoman and confidential lady in waiting, similarly veiled. 
Neither lady wore jewelry, and the difference in rank was marked 
by the height of the coronet. 

No men were ever permitted to sit on this dais with the 
Queen when she gave audience, no matter how exalted their 
rank. Even her sons sat in the main body of the chamber on 
such occasions. Halfway down the apartment, on either side, a 
long dewan was placed for the accommodation of such as were 
of sufficiently high rank or favor to be seated in the Queen’s 
presence. 

As they entered, the Chief Priests and Sanhedrim saluted 
Helena who received them graciously. They were given seats 
according to their rank. In the remaining space below the de- 
wans, stood the chief eunuch with other officers and attendants 
of the Queen’s household ; also the captains of the ecclesiastical 
police, guards and Sicarii. The s^ubordinates remained in the 
court below. 

In the centre, at a few feet distance from the dais, and facing 
Helena, stood the Lord Jesus. He had not been bidden to a 
seat, and his salutation had received scant and formal recognition 
from his kinswoman. 

Helena inquired of Jesus what deeds he had donp to merit 


FORSAKEN. 465 

arrest by the chief priests, and their accusation of religious 
seduction of the people ? 

The Lord replied that he had done naught but the work 
which God had appointed, and the chief priests had persecuted 
him without just cause. He appealed to her as the son of her 
kinswoman, the Lady Marya, and also as his Suzerain, to have ’ 
the accusations against him tried by the laws of her own race and : 
kingdom, to deliver him from the power of the Jewish priesthood I 
that he might not perish without law. 

But the Queen replied : Did we not require you to make known 
to us what deeds you have done; that we might judge whether 
you are the chosen of God, so that no one may touch you to 
harm ? 

Jesus then spoke and told that he had continued to heal all 
manner of diseases, to relieve and comfort the distressed and the 
poor, and to instruct the ignorant concerning the love of God. 

Fanatic, narrow minded, bigoted, superstitious, and self 
righteous, Helena still was hot a religious hypocrite, and she 
became frightened as she listened to the simple recital of the 
sublime, heroic, self-denying actions of her kinsman. Could he 
indeed be but a mere mortal ? She had never yet heard nor 
read of any man that could be compared to him. 

Consequently she addressed herself to the High Priest and 
his colleages, with the courtesy that is born of fear and the desire 
to recall or modify a permission which when made use of by the 
priests and rulers might entail more dreadful consequences than 
even a positive denial would have done. 

We pray that you will not be hasty in your judgment, my 
good friends and honorable priests of Israel, said the Queen; 
for you might shed innocent blood. Such works as his are not 
the deeds of a mere man. 

Then Caiaphas grew angry, and answered with a very pro- 
found sneer : If he is a God, let him perform a miracle, and de- 
liver himself out of our hands. 


30 


lESAT NAgSAR. 


4(36 

At this, Annas and Eleazar added scoffingly : He saved 
others; let him now save himself, if he be the appointed of God 
and his chosen one. 

The other Sanhedrim also began to mock and to say : We 
have heard him say that he trusted in God. Well, let his God 
deliver him now out of our hands if he desireth him. 

Never before had Helena had occasion to hear and witness 
the undisguised expression of such vindictive rancor. Her spirit 
cowered within her as she foresaw that opposition on her part 
would only arouse the malignant enmity of baffled pontiffs against 
herself. Still she made a feeble attempt to extract a promise that 
justice might be tempered with mercy, in their judgment of Jesus. 

To this, the High Priest replied with much insolence : It is 
time that the Queen be silent, that she may not be suspected ; 
or it will be said of her: “ She hath protected her kinsman who 
is a sorcerer and seduceth the people.” Therefore O Queen, it is 
more meet for you to be silent than to speak ; for he must be slain. 
And let it be known unto you, that to fulfil the precepts of our 
holy Law in this matter, we will devote our lives. 

Annas made a sign to Eleazar, who beckoned to the captains 
of his police. These now came forward and began to fetter the 
Lord Jesus with chains, in presence of the Queen. 

Then Jesus made a last appeal to her, and said: Gracious 
Queen, thou hast the right to deliver me, for I am thy kinsman. 
Oh my legal and natural. protector, why hast thou forsaken me? 

But there was none to succor Him, who had ever rendered 
assistance to others. Helena, though angered at the insolence 
of the Chief Priests, was subdued by fear, turned her head away 
and made no answer whatever ; while the ruffianly servants of 
the Jewish pontiffs violently dragged him out of the audience 
hall, and took him to the dungeon of the official residence of the 
High Priest. 

See Appendix corresponding chap. XLI. Also page of 
same, 560. 


THE EORTY DAyS. 


467 


CHAPTER XLII. 


THE FORTY DAYS. 

The Chief Priests were satisfied that they would meet with 
no further opposition nor interference from Queen Helena. But 
they could not put Jesus to death unless he were first brought to 
trial, convicted and condemned by the Sanhedrim. To render 
the trial legal, it was necessary to obtain an official permit from 
the Roman Governor of Judea for the Sanhedrim to assemble for 
such purpose. 

Therefore Caiaphas, Annas, and Eleazar, with other chief priests, 
scribes and lawyers, went to Pilate. The High Priest first showed to 
Pilate the deed, formally executed, signed and sealed, whereby 
Queen Helena and Izates, King of Adiabene, did wholly deliver 
their subject and kinsman, Jesus Nassar, to the authority and 
power of the High Priest and the judicial Court of Sanhedrim 
of the Jews at Jerusalem, to be by them judged according to 
their laws, for offenses against the religious laws of the Jews. 
After this, they demanded the necessary permit of the Governor. 

The Jewish chief lawyers charged Jesus with committing 
many crimes ; but, being obliged by Roman law to specify such 
charges, since it was the essence of Roman procedure to enter 
only on definite accusations, they proceeded to accuse him of 
attempting the dissolution of the Sabbath, and of magic. 

Pilate required them to cite such instances. 

Caiaphas stated that Jesus attended to the needs of the sick, 
whether lame, deaf, palsied, blind, leprous or insane, on the holy 
Sabbath just in the same manner as at other times; although the 
Jewish law strictly forbade cures of the sick on that sacred day. 
Also that Jesus succeeded in his cures by evil methods. 

Pilate asked : But how can he do such things by wicked 
methods ? 

' I 


46S 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Annas answered : He is a conjuror, and casts out diseases 
by the power of the Prince of Diseases; and therefore all dis- 
eases are subject to his skill. 

To cast out diseases, doth not seem to me to be the work of 
an unclean spirit, said Pilate, but rather to proceed directly 
from tlie power of God. And then the Governor added with 
logical sarcasm: If you, the priesthood of Jehovah, are his 
chosen representatives, and if he is all-powerful, as you say he 
is, wherefore then are not all diseases also subject to your doc- 
tors ? 

This question enraged the prelates exceedingly; but Eleazar 
undertook to answer, and said : Be it known unto you, Oh Gov- 
ernor, that the Jehovah of Israel is a consuming fire; and when 
he sendeth his judgments upon sinners and delivereth them over 
unto the ills of the flesh, it is not meet that we, his chosen minis- 
ters, should seek to thwart his will. 

Since they had taken the precaution to render their demand 
so legal, that it could be enforced; the Governor, much against 
his will, was obliged to grant the permit for an assemblage of the 
Sanhedrim to bring Jesus to trial. 

The High Priest then commanded that heralds should an- 
nounce, every day, in the streets of Jerusalem, that Jesus Nassar, 
now in prison, was to be brought to trial for religious seduction of 
the Jews; the penalty for which was death by stoning; and to 
call upon all Jews who could produce any exculpatory evidence 
in his favor, to do so without delay. 

The heralds, or town-criers, attracted the attention of the 
public on the streets and of the citizens in the houses, by raising 
the right arm aloft and then in a loud voice uttered the cry: 

Oh ye law-abiding citizens!’' This arrested all traffic. The 
inmates of dwellings left their work or amusements to hasten to 
the windows, to listen to the news which the town-criers were 
to make public. The passer-by stayed his steps, the merchant 
his selling, the purchaser his buying, the artisan stopped plying 


THE FORTY DAYS. 


469 


his trade, to hear whether the tidings which the herald was about 
to impart, were for good or ill, for gain or loss, affairs of State 
or private matters, domestic business or foreign commerce, an 
edict of the Emperor or an order of the high priest, a public 
holiday celebration or the decease of a potentate, a change in 
the value of the currency, or the search for a stray child or ani- 
mal. When the town-criers had delivered the message with 
which they had been commissioned, they wound up with the 
notice that the reward to the witnesses would come from the 
Jehovah of Israel. 

The Gentiles listened with a great pity and deep indignation; 
The Jews heard with fear and trembling the proclamation of the 
power of their priesthood, even over a prince of Gentile race. Jt 
caused much murmuring among the Jews and many bitter di- 
visions of opinion ; for some said: Jesus is a good man and a 
godly one ; while others insisted that he performed all his won- 
derful and generous -actions by the power of familiar spirits, in 
order to deceive the people and to lead them astray from the 
Jehovah of Israel to serve another God. But they who spoke 
for Jesus dared not do so openly, for fear of the chief priests; 
who, they well knew, would inflict summary vengeance upon 
any Jew that wonld venture to defend Jesus. 

The proclamation v/as a farce; since the High Priest, in or- 
dering it to be made, was obliged to comply with the ancient 
law of the country. But in se®q:et, the Jewish hierocracy had 
numerous emissaries among their people, who were commis- 
sioned to secure by any means, whether by persuasion or bribes, 
witnesses who should bear false testimouy against Jesus during 
the coming trial. This was quite practicable; as, according to 
the Pharisaic and rabbinic law, witnesses who contradicted 
each other were not considered as false witnesses so far as punish- 
ment was concerned; not even if an alibi of the accused Avas 
proved. Consequently, it was an easy matter for the chief 
priests to secure false witnesses, whenever they were willing to 


470 


lESAT NASSAR. 


pay for such. Rabbinic legislation produced a class of men 
among the Jews, who made a business of hiring themselves out 
as witnesses. And whenever there was a demand, these men 
came forward, ready for a stipulated price paid in advance, to 
commit perjury and to bear testimony in accordance with their 
employer’s instructions. The proclamation brought numbers of 
these men with tender of their services; so that the chief 
priests were enabled to make a selection, and to choose such as 
were seemingly respectable citizens and not yet publicly known 
to be hireling witnesses. . 

The Lady Marya, mother of Jesus, and his apostle cousins 
had, without delay, appealed to Queen Helena to use her lawful 
authority to release Jesus ; but all in vain. — They had then ad- 
dressed themselves to the Roman Governor and besought him to 
grant a stay, in case the chief priests condemned Jesus to death 
at the trial, until a commission, sent to King Izates, could have 
time to appeal to him to withdraw, or at least to limit the power 
that he had granted to the High Priest of the Jews over Jesus. 
This request Pilate most gladly promised to grant, and also fur- 
nished them with letters to the Roman ambassador at the Court 
of King Izates. — Then James, Matthew, Thaddeus, Andrew and 
Simon Caneaii with Didymus, bearing letters from the Governor 
and from the Lady Marya, had gone on their journey traveling 
by post relays to Adiabene, to intercede with Izates for the re- 
lease of his subject and kinsman, Jesus Nassar, from the hands of 
the High Priest and Sanhedrim. 

After Jesus had been arrested, neither his Mother nor any of 
his disciples were allowed to see him : nor to communicate with 
him in any manner whatever. Consequently Peter and John re- 
mained with the Lady Marya in Jerusalem, in hopes that some 
opportunity might present itself whereby they could gain access 
to Jesus. 

The prison in which the Lord was now confined, was the one 
in which the Jewish hierocracy immured those upon whose death 


THE FORTY DAYS. 


471 


they had quite determined. It was so far below the level of the 
ground floor of the High Priest’s palace, that its solitary small 
and iron grated window, situated at the top of the dungeon wall 
on the inside, was on a level with the ground on the outside 
This was in an inner portion of the open court not accessible to 
the general public, and was guarded by some of the Mallukh Ha 
Moveths, or executioners, of the ecclesiastical police force. 

The hapless prisoners in this dark, foul and noisome dungeon, 
were allowed so very small a portion of bread and water daily, 
that they gradually starved to death unless some relatives or kind 
friends supplied their additional wants. It has always been the 
custom in the Orient for people, when sick or in trouble, to vow 
to give food to the poor prisoners on their recovery or relief. 
The advent of festivals was another occasion when these poor 
unfortunates were remembered, and the friends of a person who 
died also sent food to the prisoners in memory of the departed 
one. A favorable turn of the wheel of fortune in the vicissitudes 
of life also moved many to these acts of charity. 

But the rancor of the Chief Priests was so great, that they 
gave strict orders that Jesus be limited to the meagre prison fare: 
for they had determined upon his death by the most cruel means 
in their power. 

When the day set for the trial had arrived, the whole assembly 
of the Sanhedrim was gathered together in the great Beth-Deen, 
or ecclesiastical judgment hall of the official residence of the 
High Priest. — This was a lofty, vaulted apartment over one hun- 
dred feet in length, and about forty wide. It had a number of 
large and small iron grated windows, placed at irregular spaces 
and heights on both sides of the hall. The floor was paved with 
highly polished red marble and black stone of the country. The 
entrance to this Beth-Deen was through another and smaller hall 
similarly paved, that opened into the street. The gates of both 
were two leaved, and of great height and width. During a public 
trial, both of these stood wide open. In the entrance hall, the 


472 


lESAT NASSAR. 


ecclesiastical police maintained order and kept a passage free for 
ingress and egress to and from the judgment hall ; and the per- 
sonal attendants of the chief priests occupied a portion of it, 
with the vessels of wine and drinking cups for refreshments to be 
served to the judges within whenever they needed them. Here, 
also, gathered the friends of the accused and other spectators who 
could not gain admittance 'into the Beth-Deen. 

The ecclesiastical judgment hall was oblong-ovate ; and at 
the narrower end, which was opposite the great doors of both 
halls so that the Court in session could be seen from the street, 
there was a solid stone dais, about six feet deep and three feet 
high. On either side, and reaching half way down the hall, a 
long stone dais was built against the wall ; but these were nar- 
rower and somewhat lower than the central dais, being about two 
feet in height from the ground, and projecting three feet in width 
from the walls. The one to the right on entering the hall, was 
divided in the middle of its length; with sufficient space between 
for a doorway. This led through a short passage to an inner 
yard of the palace, that communicated with the ecclesiastical 
prison and underground dungeons. Prisoners were brought into 
the judgment hall through this door, which was of stout oak and 
clamped with iron. The central dais and side seats were cov- 
ered with matting on top ; and over this were placed mattresses 
of six inches thickness and two feet width, with cushions at the 
backs along the walls. Mattresses and cushions were covered 
with vari-colored cloth, and these dewans served as seats for the 
members of the council. A small private door to the right of 
those that sat on the dais, communicated with the reception 
chamber for men in the High Priest’s palace. Arched and square 
recesses were let into the front of the dais and side seats, to hold 
the outer shoes of the members of the council, while they were in 
session. 

In each angle, formed by the junction of the dais with the 
side seats, there was a stone platform'of a foot in height from the 


THE FORTY DAYS. 


473 


level of the floor. This platform was about six feet square, and 
was covered with matting. From the platform two steps led to 
the principal dais on which sat the President, the lower step be- 
ing twice the height of the upper one. Where it joined the side 
seat, each platform a^so made a dewan, that served as seats for 
the scribes whose business it was to take notes of the proceedings. 

The family of Annas adhered to the creed of pure Judaism 
in that they were Sadducees. These believed in a miraculous 
heaven-instituted, absolute rule of the rabbis. They held that 
souls died with the bodies, and denied the immortal duration of 
the soul or the rewards or punishments in Hades. They rejected 
all doctrines not in the Law of Moses, and denied that there was 
any proof for the doctrine of immortality in the Pentateuch. 
— Their only aim was to pursue in peace, their subtleties, and 
their contempt for the masses of the people was unbounded. 

When Sadducees became magistrates, they conformed to the 
practices of the Pharisees, who, although few in number (only six 
thousand) had yet on account of their doctrines, a great influence 
over the laity, and especially over the women. 

The Pharisees delivered to the people many observances 
which were not then written in the Law of Moses, and which 
their predecessors had received from the Persians, or Pharsees, 
after the Dispersion by Nebuchadnezzar. They had learned 
from the Persians that souls had an immortal vigor which would 
have power to revive and live again. But they could not disas- 
sociate this doctrine from the pure materialism of original Juda- 
ism ; and therefore believed that good souls were transmigrated 
into other bodies of men, while the evil souls were sent into in- 
ferior creatures. 

Annas with his five sons, Eleazar, Theophilus, Jonathan, 
Mathias, Ananus, and his son-in-law Caiaphas, had possessed 
themselves of the chief offices of the Hierocracy of the Jews. At 
different periods, each of these seven men filled the office of High 
Priest, But at this time, Caiaphas was the High Priest; Annas, 


474 


• lESAT NASSAR. 


President of the Court of the Sanhedrim; Eleazar, Governor of 
the Temple; Mathias, Vice-Governor and Chief Inspector ct 
Sacrifices and Offerings ; Theophilus, Chief of the Scribes ; Jona- 
than, Chief of the Ecclesiastical Police; and Ananus, Chief of 
the Ecclesiastical Lawyers. — Thus the -‘Sons of Annas,” were 
practically, the chief rulers of the Jews. 

The day set for the trial of Jesus had arrived ; the captain of 
the band of ecclesiastical police on duty at the Beth-Deen, had 
received strict orders not to allow any person to enter the judg- 
ment hall who did not possess a permit from the Chief of the 
Scribes. And no strangers were allowed in the entrance hall until 
after the Sanhedrists had taken their seats, and the proceedings 
had begun against the accused. A guard of Roman soldiers kept 
watch at the outer gates to maintain order. 

The members of the council began to arrive about three hours 
before noon. Two of the sons of Annas had taken up their posi- 
tions just within the great doors of the Beth-Deen; Jonathan to 
the left and Ananus to the right. Most of the Sanhedrists were 
anxious to be on good terms with the chiefs of ecclesiastical 
police and lawyers. For these two men, Jonathan and Ananus, 
being among the most violent of the inside wheel” or com- 
bination, exercised tyrannical power over even high Jewish digni- 
taries. Therefore every Sanhedrist on entering, respectfully 
saluted these officials. Ananus was, at the same time, very 
suave in his speech to persuade such as he could not terrorize. 
He now returned each man’s salute with friendly graciousness; 
then, pointing with his right thumb towards the place where 
the prisoner would stand, he said with peculiar glance and em- 
phasis : “ It is expedient that one man shall die for the people.*’ 
The salute of Jonathan to each comer, was supplemented by a 
wave of the left hand, palm upward, towards the dais, and the 
words: ‘^As an oblation to Jehovah, that our nation perish 
not.” 

The Sanhedrists gathered into little groups about the great 


THE FORTY DAYS. 


475 


hall, to discuss and comment on the coming trial. They spoke 
in subdued tones, but gesticulated freely with right thumbs, with 
left hands, palms upward ; with much shaking of heads and 
shrugging of shoulders. 

Two hours before noon, the High Priest arrived with the 
President of the Court of Sanhedrim. Their approach was her- 
alded by outrunners, and this was the signal for the members to 
range themselves in front of the seats they were to occupy. As 
Caiaphas and Annas passed through the hall towards the dais, 
the Sanhedrists saluted most respectfully ; and the salutations re- 
ceived unusually gracious recognition. 

When they reached the dais, the High Priest, who always 
presided on important occasions, turned to the right and slipped 
off his outer shoes beside the platform, by which he mounted to 
the dais. He took his seat in the centre of the dewan, while a per- 
sonal attendant, waiting to perform the service, took up the 
shoes and placed them within one of the receptacles in the front 
wall of the dais. The President Annas ascended the dais by way 
of the left hand platform and sat down to the right of Caiaphas. 
He also slipped off his outer shoes which were placed in the same 
manner by another servant. 

These outer shoes were slip-shoes, with dark purple ki 1 
leather uppers and buffalo hide soles, easily slipped on and off. 
The soles of the outer slip-shoes of the priesthood and all eccle- 
siastical officials were made of buffalo bull’s hide; probably a 
remnant of the worship of the sacred bull Apis. 

But the feet did not remain bare when the slip-shoes were 
removed, for fine, kid leather dark purple socks were worn. 

Theophilus, chief of the scribes, sat to the right of the Presi- 
dent; and next to him, Mathias, the Temple inspector. As chief 
of the lawyers, Ananus sat on the left of the High Priest. Then 
came Eleazar, governor of the Temple, followed by Jonathan, 
chief of ecclesiastical police. — When these seven rulers had taken 
their seats on the dais, the Sanhedrists ^nd recording scribes 


476 


lESAT NASSAR. 


divested themselves of their slip-shoes, and mounted to their seats 
on the dewans of the side-seats and platforms; while the ser- 
vants in waiting, placed the slip-shoes into the receptacles under 
the daises. All the assembly sat cross-legged on the dewans. 

On the matted space between the dewan and the edge of the 
dais, and in front of the presiding chiefs, were placed four octag- 
onal stands, two feet in height, made of ebony inlaid with silver 
and pearl shell. On the stand to the right of the High Priest lay a 
scroll of the Law of Moses, and on the one to the left, a rabbini- 
cal treatise on such of the laws as could concern the coming 
trial. The others held writing materials. 

The recording scribes sat on the platforms ; those who would 
note the testimony in favor of the accused, to the left ; and they 
that should record the damnatory evidence, to the right of the 
Judges on the dais. 

Joseph of Arimathea, the famous - councillor, filled the office 
which represented the Roman Law at the Court of Sanhedrim. 
His duty was to challenge any infringement of the Roman laws 
governing the province, in trials by Jewish ecclesiastical law. 
Joseph’s associate on this occasion was John. When the members 
of the council had taken their seats, Jonathan gave the sign to 
the captain on duty, and immediately a line of ecclesiastical po- 
lice, armed with bludgeons and secreted daggers, was stationed 
across the hall where the dewans terminated. Those who held 
permits for admission to the judgment-hall were now allowed to 
enter, and filled the space between the line of ecclesiastical 
guards and the great doors that opened into the entrance 
hall. 

Silence ensued ; the High Priest Caiaphas waved his right 
hand in token that the court was opened, and that he would 
speak. 

He said: Men and brethren ; AVe are gathered here to-day 
for righteous judgment and the administration of strict justice. 
This, however, will not be possible if we do not cleave unto the 


THE FORTY DAYS. 


All 

laws of Jehovah, delivered unto our forefathers to enforce their 
observance, or if we allow our holy religion to be lightly es- 
teemed. 

We are now at the season of the feasts of Purim and Passover, 
the most sacred, joyful and solemn feasts, when there have ever 
been special acts of communion between Jehovah and our na- 
tion. In the midnight of the Passover did our God reveal him- 
self to our righteous progenitor Abraham, who in the noonday of 
that festival did also serve the fiery angels with unleavened cakes, 
and did slay the sacred calf which he had in anticipation for this 
Pascal sacrifice. At the command of our Diety, Abraham did 
offer up the first-born and only son of his wife Sarah, even as it 
was ordained: ^^The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto 
me.” The firstlings being of special intrinsic holiness, therefore 
in exceptional circumstances which demanded a human victim, 
it was ever by preference a first-born or only child. Israel never 
hesitated to offer such to our Holy King, even until the time 
that our nation was dispersed by the Assyrian. 

We also know that annual atonements at this season of Pass- 
over, have ever been the means of placing Israel in a special 
way under the protection of Jehovah in times of extreme peril. — 
At the midnight of Passover, Jehovah gave Ahraham the stran- 
ger, victory over the chiefs of the country where he sojourned. — 
Lot was rescued, but the inhabitants of Sodom were destroyed 
at Passover. — Our father Jacob overcame the angel, but Laban 
the Aramaen was terrorized at midnight of the Passover. — The 
first-born of Egypt were slain, but Israel, the first-born son of 
Jehovah, was saved at midnight of the Passover. — Jericho was 
delivered into the hands of Israel on the feast of Passover. The 
camp of Midian was destroyed through the merits of the barley 
cake, that was made of the first fruits of the Pascal sheaf — Sisera 
was slain on the Passover night. — Sanacherib’s host was de- 
destroyed, and he himself was killed at Passover. The Assyrian 
princes of Pul and Lud were burned as sacrificial flames at Pass- 


47 § 


lESAT* NASSAU. 


over.— A double fatal misfortune befell the inhabitants of Uz at 
the season of Passover. — The lands of Noph and Moph were 
wasted by our God at Passover. — The Deity Bel and his up- 
holders were violently broken down in the darkness of that holy 
Night — Daniel, the beloved, was delivered from the lion’s den, 
the unseen hand wrote the downfall of Babylon, and the King 
Belshassar w^as slain on the night of Passover. The victory over 
Haman was won, by King Ahasuarus being deprived of sleep 
on the night of Passover. — And Haman with his ten sons were 
hanged at Passover. 

Throughout the history of Israel there have also arisen occa- 
sions when, through the sin of one man, the wrath of Jehovah 
fell upon the whole nation ; and the death of the sinner was ex- 
acted as a propitiation by our God. — When our forefathers asso- 
ciated with the Moabites, Moses our Lord was commanded to 
take all the chiefs of the people, and to hang them up unto the 
Jehovah, in order that the fierce anger of our God might be 
turned away from Israel. — Joshua took Achan with his sons and 
daughters, and put them to death by stoning and burning, before 
our Jehovah would consent to give our fathers the victory over 
the people of Ai. — The holy Samuel hewed the King Agag in 
pieces before the Jehovah as an oblation. King David, the man 
after God’s own heart, said unto Saul : If Jehovah hath stirred 
thee up against me, let him be gratified by an oblation,” and 
later the King David delivered up the seven sons and grandsons 
of King Saul to be hanged up before the Jehovah, at the season of 
the Passover, as a propitiation that the three years of famine 
might cease. 

Let us beware that we do not forsake the old paths, and to 
be led to esteem lightly the blessed examples of our pious and 
righteous forefathers, who wmre zealous to propitiate Jehovah ; 
especially, that his anger has now been pursuing us for some 
years, in that we are not regaining our former power and glory. 
It is plain to understand the reason ; for the people of Israel are 


TriE forty days. 


470 


growing lax in the observances of the laws of our Deity, and 
many follow after the strange doctrines and the God of the se- 
ducer and blasphemer, Jesus, the Son of Lady Marya. 

As High Priest, I warn you that if we leave him alone, all 
men will believe on him. — Then will our Jehovah turn away his 
face from us; and the Romans will deprive us of our holy place 
and our religious independence and privileges. — Therefore, it is 
now obligatory upon the rulers to purge this wickedness from 
among us, especially since our God hath manifested his will by 
delivering the Blasphemer into our hands at this sacred season, 
after having moved the hearts of the pious Queen Helena and 
the righteous King Izates to give him up to judgment according 
to the laws of our holy religion. By these tokens, ye may know 
that it is more expedient for us that one man should die to atone, 
not only for those who have gone astray, but also that the holy 
people now scattered abroad, might become reunited in their aims 
to attain to universal power and glory. 

When Caiaphas had closed his speech, some of the Sanhedrists 
expressed their approval by words, exclaiming: Yea of a truth, 
and verily it is our duty now to propitiate our Jehovah ! Others 
assented by gesture and facial expression, while a very few shook 
their heads in a manner that might be interpreted as assent or the 
contrary. Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea and John, looked 
stern disapproval ; but they only became marked as men that 
needed watching on suspicion of being hostile to the administra- 
tion of religious justice. 

The President, Annas, said to Jonathan: Let the accused be 
now brought before us. Jonathan signalled to the ecclesiastical 
guards who stood at the oaken door between the dewans. These 
were immediately opened, and soon after the Lord Jesus was led 
in, strongly guarded by the Malukh-Ha-Moveth and his men. 
They placed him opposite the High Priest at a short distance from 
the dais. 

Jesus wore the white flowing robe of an Essene. His head 


480 


lESAT NASSAR. 


was bare and his hands free ; but the feet were fettered by a chain 
to prevent escape. The unusual pallor of the fair, noble counten- 
ance showed the effects of his confinement and ill-treatment. The 
sun’s rays, slanting from an upper window touched the golden 
hues or his head and beard; so that they emitted gleams of living 
light. There was a prophetic look in the large grey-blue eyes, 
that saw the dread future^ not with fear, but with the awful resolve 
to sustain the fight even unto death. He knew also that the rulers, 
into whose hands he had been betrayed, and the character of 
whose souls had been determined by the character of their Deity, 
could only kill his body; and that his Spirit, working through his 
followers in the ages to come, would finally emancipate mankind 
from the curse of the Thuggee doctrines of these his ecclesiastical 
judges. The noble, perfect proportions of his form, graceful, 
erect, gracious and commanding bearing, the fair, manly beauty 
of face and body, all marked him a king among men, physically, 
as the whole course of his life had constituted him. Lord, spiritu- 
ally. 

The ecclesiastical judges on the dais stood out in strong con- 
trast. Annas had always claimed an unsullied descent in the 
Judean racial line; and truly, he, his five sons and Caiaphas his 
son-in-law were unmistakably stamped with the physical charac- 
teristics of the pure type of the original tribe of Judah. They 
were undersized in stature and round shouldered, squat and heavy 
in figure, self assertive and arrogant in bearing, whether seated or 
standing; dark yellowish brown of skin and complexion, and with 
the flabbiness of flesh that betrays hereditary tainted constitu- 
tions : they had flat feet, clammy palms, and clawlike fingers, 
d'heir enormous fat noses were hooked; their eyes, small, jet 
black, and ever glittering with suspicious unrest. Their ears were 
of great size, and stood out almost at riglit angles from the head, 
and their thick lips were dark and flabby. The low foreheads re- 
ceded, and the hair was coarse, kinky, bushy, black and lustre- 
less. The shape of the head was conical, very narrow at the top. 


THE FORTY DAYS. 48 1 

and the back of the skull was flat and terminated abruptly almost 
directly behind the ears. 

AVhen the prisoner had been brought in, the Roman officer, 
stationed with his soldiers at the gates of the outer hall that 
opened into the street, permitted a limited number of respectable 
looking men to enter the outer hall where they could both see 
and hear the proceedings in the Beth-Deen, Among these was 
Peter, who had enlisted the sympathies of a party or warlike 
Parthians, and had brought them along to make an effort to 
rescue his Master. But when he saw the company of Roman 
soldiers at the outer entrance he realized that he would only injure 
his cause by opposing the Roman authorities, even if his party 
should succeed in overpowering the Roman guard. 

It vvas the duty of the President, at the outset of the trial to 
admonish the witnesses to remember the value of human life, and 
to take care that they forgot nothing that would tell in the 
prisoner’s favor. Many witnesses who had been prepared in ad- 
vance, according to the inquisitorial process set forth in the 
rabbinical laws, were now called and came forward from among 
the crowd that had been admitted through permits from Theo- 
philus, the chief of the Scribes. 

As no accuser appeared, Caiaphas, at the invitation of Annas, 
took that office upon himself, and charged Jesus with violation 
of the Sabbath, and with blasphemy against the divine sonship 
of ecclesiastical Israel. 

The witnesses who had been suborned by the chief priests, 
had testified falsely against Jesus in regard to his cures and labors 
on the Sabbath. But being challenged and skilfully cross-ques- 
tioned by Joseph of Arimathea, they repeatedly contradicted 
themselves and each other. 

As evidence that tended to aid the accused was to be freely 
admitted, five members of the Sanhedrim now spoke in favor cf 
Jesus. Their names were Mattee, Nossree, Vanee, Tadee and 
Nicodemus. These honorable rulers argued that the good and 

3 ^ 


482 


lESAT NASSAR. 


generous actions of the whole life of J esus were sufficient evidence 
that he was a holy man, and that he was possessed of a most 
godlike spirit. 

Nicodemus, addressing the assembly, added : Men and breth- 
ren ! What is it that ye would do with this man ? He is a man 
who hath wrought many useful and glorious miracles, such as no 
man on earth ever wrought before, or will work. Let him go, 
and do him no harm. — If he cometh from God, his miraculous 
cures will continue ; but if from man, they will come to naught. 
Now let this man go ; because the very miracles for which ye ac- 
cuse him, are from God; and he is not worthy of death. 

Annas, with his sons and Caiaphas, turned livid with anger at 
the speeches in favor of Jesus. They gnashed with their teeth and 
trembled with rage and fear lest a majority should be influenced 
for acquital. With a high-pitched tone, and pointing and shak- 
ing his forefinger at Nicodemus, Annas said to him: Mayest 
thou receive the doctrines of Jesus for truth, and have thy lot 
with him. 

The countenance of Nicodemus became transfigured from its 
expression of earnest pleading to one of holy enthusaism, as he 
replied : Amen ; I will receive his doctrine, and my lot with him, 
as ye have said. 

The five who had thus spoken in defense of Jesus, became 
marked men to Annas, to his sons, and to their supporters. 
Spies were set on them, who in time discovered that these men 
had secretly been the disciples of J esus since the first years of his 
ministry. Therefore, on various pretexts, these five rulers were 
stoned to death during the pontifical administration of the family 
of Annas. 

Caiaphas, Annas, and his sons had also become more en- 
venomed, because their witnesses had been exposed as falsifiers 
in their testimony. This had been arranged to prove that Jesus 
had taught and practiced the desecration of the Sabbath only with 
a view to destroy all religious observances of that day. These 


THE FORTY DAYS. 


483 


witnesses had likewise said, that as a means whereby to lead 
Israel astray, the Lord had made use of magical mixtures and 
evil incantations to effect the wonderful cures for which he had 
become famous throughout the world. — Further, when Ananus^ 
chief of the lawyers, quoted either the Mosaic Law or its rabbini- 
cal interpretations, Joseph of Arimathea, constantly and skilfully 
exposed the weakness and fallacy of his arguments, and chal- 
langed some of the labbinical decisions as no longer admissable 
for practice in the land under Roman law. 

Baffled in this line of attack, Annas now addressed Jesus in 
the name of the council, and said : If thou art the Christ, tell us. 

Jesus replied: If I tell you ye will not believe, — and if I 
should ask you what the character of Christ is to be by which 
men may recognize him, ye will not answer me. 

But I tell you that from henceforth men will begin to under- 
stand that the high position which they are destined to occupy in 
the world, as at God’s right hand, is to be attained by the cultiva- 
tion of the intelligence and of the abilities with which God has 
endowed them. 

Annas, Caiaphas and Ananus, now consulted Yor a while in 
low tones, and then the High Priest raised his hand. Immediately 
absolute silence prevailed in the Court. He then addressed Jesus 
in a loud and solemn tone : — I, the High Priest, and presiding 
over the Court which hath been granted the right to judge you, 
both by your Suzerains and by the Roman Governor of this land, 
do now adjure you, Jesus Nassar, by the God of Life whom you 
acknowledge, that you tell us : Is Ecclesiastical Israel the only 
Son of the Blessed One to reveal God to mankind,— or art thou 
He? 

Not a word, not a sound, not a movement nor even a motion 
broke the stillness that followed in the vast judgment hall, and 
also in the outer hall; while judges, guards, witnesses and specta- 
tors awaited eagerly and listened attentively for the answer. 

Having been adjured by the God of Life,” the Lord Jesus 


484 


lESAT NASSAR. 


replied with divine dignity and calm ; althoug*h facing certain 
death for his words : I am.” 

For a few moments an awful silence fell upon the place; and 
all faces paled as they realized the import of the answer of the 
Divine Man. 

Then Caiaphas suddenly started up, clutched with both hands 
the opening at the bosom of his official robe, and tore it open. 
Then he stretched out his right arm, and pointing his fingeratthe 
Lord Jesus, exclaimed with a voice that trembled with mingled 
hate and triumph : — He hath spoken blasphemy ! What 
further need have we of witnesses ? Behold now ye yourselves 
have heard the blasphemy ! What think ye ?” 

The reply came distinct, clear and almost unanimous from the 
Sanhedrists : — ‘‘ He is worthy of death !” 

Annas now handed to Caiaphas the scrolls of the Law and of 
the Prophets, opened at the portions to be read before the vote 
should be polled. 

The High Priest then spoke and read in loud and impressive 
tones : — Men and Brethren; hear ye the commands of our God 
by the mouth of his holy prophets, concerning the matters for 
which this Jesus Nassaris brought for judgment before us. The 
Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying: Speak unto the children of 
Israel, saying : ‘‘Verily ye shall keep my Sabbaths; for it is a 
sign between me and you throughout your generations. Six days 
shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a day of solemn 
rest, holy to the Jehovah. , Whosoever doeth any work on the 
Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. A man or a woman 
that hath a familiar spirit shall surely be put to death ; they shall 
stone them with stones ; their blood shall be upon them ” — 
“And Moses called all Israel and said: If thy brother, or thy son 
or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend which is 
as thine own soul, entice thee, saying : ‘ Let us go and serve 
other Gods, thou shalt surely kill him ; thine hand shall be first 
upon him to put him tQ d^ath^ and afterwards the band pf all the 


THE forty hays. 


4S5 


people. Thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die ; because 
he hath sought to draw thee^way from Jehovah thy God which 
brought thee out of the land of Egypt.’’ 

When he had thus read, Caiaphas paused awhile, and then 
looking round about at the ?anhedrists, he said : — Now that we 
have heard from the holy Torah, the will of our God concerning 
them that profane the Sabbath, and that deal with familiar spirits 
to work wonders that they may entice Israel from their Jehovah, 
we will further prove that this Jesus hath usurped the preroga- 
tives of Israel, who is the only begotton Son of God. 

The High Priest then read in exultant tones : The Jehovah 
said unto Moses:' Say unto Pharoah : Israel is my son, even my 
firstborn.”— Moses went up unto God, and the Jehovah called 
unto him out of the mountain, saying : Thus shalt thou say to 
the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye shall be a 
peculiar treasure unto me above hll people. And ye shall be 
unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. — Ye shall be 
named the priests of Jehovah ; men shall shall call you the min- 
isters of our God. So shall they put my Name upon the chil- 
dren of Israel. — For the Jehovah hath chosen Jacob unto him- 
self, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.” — ^‘And Israel was 
holiness unto Jehovah and the first fruits of his increase : all that 
devour him shall be held guilty ; evil shall come upon them, 
saith the Jehovah.” 

When the High Priest had ended, in accordance with their 
customs, Theophilus the chief of the scribes called for the vote of 
the Sanhedrists. This was begun with the juniors in order that 
they might not be influenced by the vote of the seniors. When 
the vote had been polled, it was found that with the exception 
of the five who had spoken in his favor, the rest of the Sanhe- 
drists voted that Jesus was guilty. 

After this, the High Priest as President of the council, pro- 
nounced the formal sentence of death. He spoke with composed 
mien and tone. Addressing the noble prisoner he said : 


4^6 lESAT NASSAU. 

Jesus Nassar; the council of the righteous rulers of Israel 
have tried thee, and have found thee guilty of breaking the holy 
Sabbath, of enticing the people of the Jews away from their 
allegiance to Jehovah, and of usurping the prerogatives of Israel 
who is the firstborn and only begotten son of Jehovah. Thou 
hast said that thou art the Son of God, which is blasphemy 
against Jehovah. — According to our holy Law, the penalty for 
such crimes is death by stoning. — I therefore sentence thee, 
Jesus Nassar, to be stoned to death by the congregation of 
Israel, as commanded by Moses our Lord. 

As soon as the sentence had been pronounced, Jonathan, 
chief of the ecclesiastical police, descended from the dais; ard 
with the Mallukh-Ha-Moveth and his men, closed round Jesus 
and began to fetter his arms. Caiaphas and Annas rose and left 
the judgment-hall by the small door on the dais, and this was the 
signal for the Sanhadrim and Spectators to disperse. 

And now, Jonathan with his brothers who had joined him, 
began to slap and buffet the Lord Jesus, and to spit in his face, 
and to curse him. The Mallukh-Ha-Moveth with his band of 
ruffians, quickly imitated their superiors, and amid such abuse 
and revilings, the ecclesiastical police led Jesus out of the judg- 
ment-hall, through the oaken side door, back to the underground 
dungeons for condemned prisoners. 

The decision and sentence of the Court of Sanhedrim was 
duly signed and sealed with the pontifical signet, and sent to 
Pilate. At the same time, a demand was made for the death 
warrant to execute Jesus according to the sentence pronounced 
upon him. 

When Pilate had examined the report of Joseph of Arimathea, 
and received the formal decision and demand of the Court of 
Sanhedrim, he invited the chief priests and rulers to a private 
conference at his official residence in the Tower of Antonia. After 
they had all been seated in the reception chamber for men, and the 
preliminaries of salutations were over, Pilate, in reference to their 


THE FORTY DAYS. 


487 


expressed resolution to put Jesus to death, expostulated, saying : 
Do not act thus ; for I have found nothing in your charge against 
Jesus, concerning his curing sick persons and breaking the Sab- 
bath, that is worthy of death. 

Caiaphas answered : By the life of Caesar ; if any one be a 
blasphemer he is worthy of death, but this man hath blasphemed 
against our Jehovah. Seeing that they could not prove that 
Jesus merited death by the atheism that blasphemed all deities, 
Pilate argued and remonstrated; concluding with the question: 
Why then should he die ? 

The High Priest arrogantly replied : We have a law, and by 
it he ought to die ; because he claims to be the Son of God, and 
therefore a king. 

To Pilate, a ‘‘ Son of God ” meant an emperor or a king. 
The idea flashed through his mind that if Jesus had admitted in 
open court that he was a Son of God, he must surely have ac- 
cepted the sovereignty of some Parthian kingdom, or perchance, 
the Suzerainty over them all. Here would be the opportunity 
of his life. He would speak with Jesus confidentially, and gain 
him and his kingdom as an ally for Rome. 

So Pilate ordered Jesus to be brought, and spoke to him 
privately in one of the chambers of the judgment-hall of the 
Tower. He asked Jesus to inform him over which country he 
had accepted kingship ; since he had admitted before the Jewish 
tribunal that he was the Son of God, and therefore a king. 

Jesus answered by calling the attention of the Roman Gov- 
ernor to the fact that, if he had accepted the sovereignty of any 
earthly State, his subjects would have made war, and he would 
not have been delivered into the hands of the Jews. 

But, exclaimed Pilate, does not your Honor know that the 
High Priest of the Jews has demanded that I confirm their sen- 
tence of death upon you, and that I have the authority to do 
so ? 

• Jesus replied : Your Excellency could have no such power 


488 


lESAT NASSAR. 


over me, unless it had been granted you by the action of my 
suzerains, the King Izates and Queen Helena. 

The Governor then informed Jesus that he had been thus 
delivered to the Jews, to be judged by their law; and that there- 
fore in accordance with the laws by which Rome governed the 
Jews, he, as Roman Governor, had been forced, altogether 
against his own will, to grant the High Priest the permit to bring 
Jesus to trial. 

The divine kindliness of the nature of Jesus showed itself 
even in this terrible stress, by his sympathetic consideration for 
the feelings of Pilate, as he replied : Then the sin of my unjust 
condemnation does not rest upon you, but upon them that de- 
livered me up. 

The Governor felt keenly and appreciated the noble justice 
that exonerated him in a matter in which, seemingly, he was 
worthy of blame. Filled with righteous anger against the ma- 
lignant envy of the hierocra^y that was hounding so divinely 
generous a man to a cruel and shameful death, Pilate returned to 
the reception chamber, and said to the chief priests : I will not 
grant you a death warrant, and I call the whole world to wit- 
ness that I find no fault in that man. 

But the chief priests and rulers were too crafty for the honest 
and candid Roman. They warned him that if he failed to ratify 
the judgments of the Court of Sanhedrim, the High Priest could 
no longer be held responsible for the actions of the Jewish na- 
tion; who would certainly consider themselves emancipated, 
and raise seditious riots if encouraged by such an instance of the 
Governor’s clemency to culprits; and such defiance of their 
lawfully constituted hierocracy. In such case, added Caiaphas, 
your Excellency alone will be responsible to Caesar for all insur- 
rections that will surely ensue if you let Jesus Nassar go free. 

But Pilate had determined to release Jesus if possible to do 
so. He therefore called for Nicodemus and for the fifteen hon- 
orable Jewish citizens who had witnessed against Annas’ claims • 


THE FORTY DAYS. 


4S9 


upon Jesus and the Lady Marya, and said to them: What shall 
I do, seeing that according to the representations of the High 
Priest, there is likely to be a tumult of the people if I refuse to 
confirm their sentence ? 

Nicodemus replied : Oh righteous Judge! In the council, I 
and four of my honorable colleagues opposed the condemnation 
of Jesus. He then repeated to Pilate, the arguments they had 
used and the speech he had made. 

This intrepid support given to Pilate’s endeavors, enraged 
the Chief Rulers greatly, and Caiaphas, hoping to destroy the 
effect of Nicodemus’ speech on the assembled multitude by 
arousing their suspicions against him, addressed him with a 
sneer and a loud tone : Oh Nicodemus, art thou also become 
his disciple, making speeches in his favor ? 

With unruffled dignity, with a respectful bow and a wave of 
the hand towards Pilate, Nicodemus replied: Has his Excellency, 
our honest and just Governor, also become the disciple of Jesus, 
and does he therefore make speeches in his favor ? Did not 
Caesar appoint him to his high position as one fitted to administer 
justice ? 

Pilate acknowledged his appreciation of this answer, by a 
courteous inclination of the head and a gesture of the hand to- 
wards Nicodemus. At this, a large number of JeNvs, both men 
and women who had gathered among the spectators took cour- 
age and cried out, saying : He only, is truly the Son of the God 
of Life, who cures all diseases ; for this power can proceed from 
none but God I 

Looking at the spectators, Pilate noticed that many of the 
Jews, who had thus testified, were in tears. He immediately 
turned to the High Priest and his clique, and said : You see and 
hear for yourselves, that not all the Jews desire the death of 
Jesus : therefore what will it profit you to shed innocent blood ? 

Caiaphas replied with pompous obstinacy : We, and all the 
people came here for this very purpose, that he should die. 


lESAT NASSAli. 


490 

During the action of the spectators, and the consequent ex- 
postulation of Pilate with the High Priest, Nicodemus had held 
a brief and hurried consultation with his honorable associates. 
He now craved the Governor’s permission to speak, and then 
proceeded to call the attention of the Court to a proviso in rab- 
binical law; that a person convicted of the crimes of which Je- 
sus had been accused, should be punished by being beaten with 
thirty-nine stripes when extenuating circumstances could be 
proven. It had now been clearly demonstrated by many Jewish 
witnesses, that if Jesus was guilty of breaking the Sabbath by 
performing cures, he had done so for the benefit of humanity and 
to the glory of God. 

At this, Caiaphas and his supporters started up as though 
stung sharply and unexpectedly. Gesticulating wildly, they ex- 
claimed vociferously : This punishment will only atone for the 
profanation of the Sabbath ! But the Blasphemy ! the blas- 
phemy ! he must be stoned ! he shall be stoned for blasphemy ! 

Pilate calmly waited till their clamor had spent itself. He 
then raised his hand and said : Oh High Priest and Rulers of 
the Jews ! Having fully investigated this matter, I, Pontius Pi- 
late, as Roman Governor, now declare: that, by your law Jesus 
hath only incurred the punishment of whipping. Take him 
therefore, let him be only whipped, and then set him free. 

The guards now led Jesus away and put him back into the 
dungeon of the High Priest’s palace. 

Baffled again, Caiaphas and Annas retired, accompanied by 
their confidential colleagues. On reaching his offlcial residence, 
the High Priest invited them in to a secret conference, concern- 
ing further action against Jesus. 

When they had all partaken of refreshments in the reception 
chamber and the attendants had withdrawn, Jonathan rose and 
closed the doors. Then they began to discuss the unexpected 
turn the case had taken, and decided that they would not inflict 


THE FORTY DAYS. 49 1 

the punishment of whipping ; because, by their law, he who was 
condemned to death, was not to be previously scourged. 

During the argument that ensued, Eleazar swore with much 
bitterness, that Jesus ought to be put to death ; even if only for 
having deprived them of the privilege of holding their markets 
in the Court of the Gentiles. 

But, Oh my son, said Annas, what is the loss of that privi- 
lege when compared to the annihilation of our holy religion, by 
the destruction of our temple as Jehovah’s chosen dwelling-place ; 
and consequently the loss of all our world embracing power and 
privileges which we claim and hold only on religious grounds? 
And all these calamities will surely come upon us, if this Jesus 
be suffered to live. 

Ananus, chief of the ecclesiastical lawyers, had hitherto not 
taken much part in the discussion. With divided attention he 
had been mentally reviewing and pondering the case with the 
object of perchance discovering by some association of ideas, 
other cause for which Jesus could be slain, without any chance 
for Pilate’s interference in his favor. 

When his father had spoken, a strange gleam came into the 
eyes of Ananus, and he glanced furtively around the conclave, 
as though to assure Himself that the same remembrance and idea 
which had suddenly occurred to him, had not also come to them. 
But the perplexed and discouraged expression which their faces 
still wore, made Ananus confident that no one present had yet ar- 
rived at a satisfactory solution of the problem. He dissembled 
his gratification at his own legal sharpness, and addressing An- 
nas and the rest of the clique, said : Father and Brethren ; I 
pray your permission to propose that we weary our souls no fur- 
ther this evening over the matter. Rest and reflection will 
surely bring to all of us wiser counsels. I will to-morrow make 
diligent search in the laws and among the archives for certain 
matters ; and will submit them to your judgments and approval 
later. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XLII. 


492 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XLIIL 


JESUS OR BAR-ABBAS ? 

Through an innate disposition to pry into futurity, a strong 
curiosity to ascertain the course of fortune and the issue of con- 
templated schemes, a great portion of the human race in all ages 
and climes, allowed themselves to be guided in the most impor- 
tant as well as in the most ordinary occurrences of life, by seers, 
augurs, dream-interpreters, oracles, predictors, magicians, sooth- 
sayers and other imposters. These, by ingrafting vulgar tradi- 
tions on a certain stock of natural knowledge, established their 
claims to possession of an occult science; the importance and 
influence of which they dexterously increased by associating it 
with all that was pompous and imposing in the mysteries and 
ceremonials of their several religions. — This science of divina- 
tion, if that can be called a science, which was the product of 
credulity, ignorance and fraud united, was divided into various 
branches, each of which had its seperate professors among all 
ancient peoples. 

From the earliest historical records of the race, the priests 
and wise men of Israel laid claim to the power of divining 
things, secret or future. They divined by the air, by the 
motion of the clouds, by the conjunction of the stars, 
by combinations of numbers and letters, by the numerical 
values of a name, by the lines on the palm of the hand, by 
the smoke of sacrifices, by the liver of newly killed sacrifices, by 
water, by fire, by the flight of birds, by casting lots, by consulta- 
tion with familiar spirits (ventriloquism), by inspecting corpses, 
by shooting arrows, by divining rods, staffs and cups, by charm- 
ing serpents, by interpretations of dreams, and by many other 
illusive and delusive arts that were practiced by the ‘‘wise men ” 
of all nations for the purpose of gain ; whether material wealth, 


JESUS OR BAR-ABBAS? 


493 


spiritual or political supremacy, revenge, or as a means of carry- 
ing out some political enterprise that would be impossible to 
accomplish, unless the civil rulers were convinced that it was 
their destiny thus to act. 

From the time of Joseph who rose to kingly power at the 
Court of Pharoah by his profession as an interpreter of dreams, 
to the time of Daniel who attained to the highest eminence 
under the Babylonian and Median monarchs by the same art. 
the Old Testament records teem with accounts of the different 
forms of divination embodied in the religion and fortunes of 
Israel. 

By such arts the Hebrews gained not only the favor of the 
Assyrian and Persian monarchs, but also that of the Macedonian 
conqueror, Alexander the Great ; whose dream in Dios of 
Macedonia was materialized for him by Jaddua the High Priest 
at Jerusalem, when Alexander came to that city with the inten- 
tion of punishing the pontiff. — But instead of carrying out his in- 
tentions, he granted the Jews protection and privileges through- 
out his dominion ; such as exemption from paying* tribute every 
seventh year, and a practical autonomy by giving them the power 
of governing themselves by their own laws. Josephus says : 

And when the book of Daniel was showed him (Alexander 
King of Macedon) wherein Daniel declared that one of the 
Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed 
that himself was the person intended ; and as he* was then glad, 
he bade the Jews ask what favors they pleased of him. He then 
not only granted them all they desired, but also willingly prom- 
ised to do hereafter what they desired.” Jos, Aut. xi. viii. 

Also throughout the Roman Empire, Jewish magicians, 
dream- expounders and sorcerers abounded in such numbers, that 
Juvenal wrote that, At a reasonable price, a Jew will sell you 
all the air- castles you may desire.” — At the same time the rabbis 
declared that there was no planet that ruled Israel, because the 
3ons of Israel were starS; (/. the rulers of th^ destini^^ of th(? 


494 


lESAT NASSAR. 


other nations) therefore there could Ue no enchantment against 
Jacob, neither any divination against Israel.” 

According to Strabo, the original name of Cyrus, the Persian 
monarch, was Agradates,” but he assumed the name Couros 
or Couresh,” which means, ‘‘ the Sun,” doubtless on ascending 
the throne. As Josephus mentions later Persian kings, as Cyrus 
Artexerxes and Cyrus Darius, it was evidently a title assumed by 
Persians sovereigns, as ‘‘ Pharaoh” was that of Egyptian rulers; 
or Sultan, as Mohamedan monarchs are called. Ezra states, 
that the heart of Cyrus was stirred up to build a house for 
Jehovah in Jerusalem, in order that the prophecy of Jeremiah 
might be fulfilled. Josephus writes : that, the prophecy be- 
came known to Cyrus by his reading the book which Isaiah had 
left behind him; and in which he had stated that God had in- 
formed him in a secret vision, that it was his will that Cyrus 
should send the Jews back to their land, and build them a 
temple.” Josephus adds, that, ‘‘ when Cyrus had read this, an 
earnest desire and ambition seized him to fulfill what was so 
written.” 

The religion of the Persians taught the existence of One 
Supreme Being,” the ‘‘ Great Creator,” the “ Great Wise One.” 
They adored the Sun, Light and Fire as emblems of Ormuzd, 
who is the source of all light and purity ; but they did not regard 
these emblems as deities. Their religious rites were exceedingly 
simple, they ndther used temples, altars nor statues. 

According to the wording of the decrees, as recorded by Ezra 
and Josephus, Cyrus Agradates evidently had not any clear concep- 
tion of the distinctive characteristics of the ‘‘ Great Supreme One ’’ 
of the Persians, and the dual Jehovah of the Jews. For, although 
moved to action in the matter, by the earnest desire and ambi- 
tion that had seized him” to be the one prophesied of; yet, 
manifestly, Cyrus seeks to justify his action by stating that, he 
^‘believes that the God Almigthy, who appointed him to be King 
of the habitable earth, was also worshipped by the Jews ; since he 


JESUS OR BAR-ABBAS? 


495 


had been able to foretell Cyrus’ name by the prophet.” — Accord- 
ing to Ezra, Cyrus alludes to his own Deity as the God of 
heaven,” or the One Supreme.” But in the call upon the Jews 
who desired to go to Judea to build the temple of the Deity of 
Israel, Cyrus defines him as the God which is in Jerusalem.” 

According to Josephus, Cyrus then called together the most 
eminent Jews that were in Babylon, and gave them leave to go 
to Judea and rebuild the temple of their deity. He further as- 
sisted them by issuing orders to the governors of the provinces of 
Syria and Palestine that they should give the Jews gold and silver 
for building expenses, and cattle for sacrifices. 

Bu^ when Cambyses, son of Cyrus Agradates, came to the 
throne, the Governors of Syria, Phoenicia, Ammon, Moab and 
Samaria, the historiographer and all the judges, sent a warning to 
the Persian monarch, that the city of Jerusalem was being fortified 
and the temple built in such wise, that when completed, these 
buildings would be utilized as strong-holds wherein to foment 
seditions and rebellion against the rulers of the land ; and to bar 
the passage of the Persians to Celesyria and Phoenicia. The 
letter of these governors further advised, that Cambyses search 
the records of his predecessors concerning the Jewish nation, and 
there he would find that the people had always fomented seditions 
and raised rebellions. 

When Cambyses had investigated the matter, and had ascer- 
tained that the governors of the provinces had stated the truth in 
every particular, he ordered the Jewish proceedings at Jerusalem 
to be stopped; which was done accordingly. — Cambyses died 
seven years later at Damascus, as he was returning from his con- 
quest of Egypt. The Magi held the reins of the government of 
Persia for one year, and then they were massacred. 

After this, Darius Hystaspes was appointed King. During 
his private career he had had an old and confidential friendship 
with a Jew, Zerobabel, who had been made governor of his own 
co-religionists. Darius had, in those days, made a vow, that if 


49 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


ever he should be elected king, he would send all the sacred 
vessels that were in Babylon, to Jerusalem. Zerobabel, who re- 
turned from that city at the time, obtained the office of guard of 
the King’s body, and lost no time in reminding Darius of the 
promise he had made, in case he ever came to the throne. — Con- 
sequently Darius sent orders to all the governors of the provinces, 
through which the Jews would travel, that they should provide 
transportation for Zerobabel and all who accompanied him to 
Jerusalem. He further prohibited all the deputies and governors 
from laying any king’s taxes on the Jews; who should also be 
permitted to hold all the land of which they could possess them- 
selves, without paying any tribute therefor. — Darius also ordered 
the Idumeans and Samaritans to pay fifty talents to the Jews, 
and to restore the villages which they had taken. — He further 
commanded the rulers of Syria and of Phoenicia to provide and 
to transport, from Lebanon to Jerusalem, cedar wood for the 
buildings of the temple and of the city, and also to assist in the 
erection of the same for the Jews. 

Darius further provided out of the Persian royal treasury, 
whatever the Jewish High Priest with all his ecclesiastical assist- 
ants and employees might demand in the matter of vestments, 
musical instrumants, etc., for the performance of their religious 
services ; besides grants of lands and a fixed annual sum of 
money for their maintenance. He also delivered to them, all the 
sacred vessels which he had promised. 

After Zerobabel and the High Priest had recommenced the 
work, the Governors of Syria, Phoenicia, Samaria and the neigh- 
boring provinces, came to Jerusalem and asked these Jewish 
rulers, by whose permission they were building the temple like a 
citadel and fortifying the city with strong cloisters and walls ? 
Zerobabel and the High Priest replied,^that Cyrus had granted 
the permit to build the temple ; and that although it had been 
in building from that time, it had not yet been finished. 

The Governors resolved not to hinder the Jews until they 


JESUS OR BAR- ABBAS? 


497 


had communicated with their Suzerain. When Darius under- 
stood that the restoration of Jerusalem, as a strongly fortified city, 
was not expedient for his own afiairs, he gave orders to have 
the archives of the kindgom searched for records concerning 
those matters. — Then it happened that a record was found in 
Ecbatana, a town of Media, and the great centre where the 
routes of traffic between Persia, India and Mesepotamia, con- 
verged and met. 

This record stated, that Cyrus had commanded the temple to 
be built at Jerusalem, the sacred vessels removed by Nebuchad- 
nassar, to be restored ; and all the expenses to be defrayed out of 
the King’s revenues. — The charge of the work was consigned to 
the Governors of Syria and Phoenicia, who were commanded to 
provide the Jews, out of the tribute of their several provinces, 
with bulls, rams, kids, goats, fine flour, oil, wine and all other 
things which the Jews should suggest; in order that they might 
pray for the preservation of the King of the Persians. — Further, 
it had been decreed that any one who should transgress these 
orders should be caught, hanged upon a cross, and their sub- 
stance confiscated to the king’s use. 

Evidently King Darius was convinced by some means, that 
it was to his interest to confirm this record of Cyrus’ decree by 
another decree, viz. : — Also I, Darius the King, have made a 
decree, that whosoever shall alter this word (Cyrus’) or make 
light of any thing, afore spoken or written, let timber be pulled 
down from his house, and being set up, let him be destroyed, and 
let him be lifted up and fastened thereon ; and let his house be 
made a dunghill for this. And the God that hath caused his 
Name (Shekhenah) to dwell there, destroy all kings and people 
that shall put their hand to destroy the house of God which is at 
Jerusalem.” 

In their successive conquests of the country, Alexander the 
Great, King of Macedon, and Julius Caesar with the later Roman 
Emperors, had not only confirmed the laws which the Persian 

32 


498 


lESAT NASSAU. 


monarchs had enacted in favor of the Jews and the privileges 
they had bestowed upon them, but the Greek, Parthian and 
Roman sovereigns had also granted the Jews additional favors 
and liberties. Consequently, the decree of King Darius against 
all and any who should attempt the dissolution of the Jewish 
temple as a dwelling place of their Jehovah, had never been re- 
pealed. 

Annas’ speech about the danger of dissolution for Judaism 
through the teaching of Jesus concerning the ancient visible 
manifestations of the deity in their Temple, had suddenly brought 
this unrepealed decree to Ananus’ remembrance. He had no 
really clear knowledge of its nature and details; but he recol- 
lected that one day, when as a mere lad he was studying some 
intricate interpretation of the laws, he, unnoticed himself, had 
overheard a conversation between two aged rabbis ; one of them 
a centenarian. The subject had been the stability of orthodox 
Judaism as a political lever being dependent on the possession of 
a center from which the hierocracy could rule their co-religion- 
ists by ecclesiastical laws. — One of the rabbis had bewailed the 
fact that they no longer had authority over the Gentiles of the 
land as in the days of David and Solomon ; and attributed the 
loss of such power to the fact that the Shekhenah no longer 
manifested Herself in the Temple. 

The centenarian had replied with a superior smile : — But we 
exercise a far greater sovereignity over the nations of the inhabited 
world in our day. For after all, David and Solomon subdued 
but a few very petty tribes, and maintained their hold upon the 
small territory of land which they had secured, by becoming use- 
ful confederates to the chiefs of the more powerful tribes around 
them. — True it is that our policy does not differ from that of our 
forefathers, but it is not confined to a few petty tribes. — Since the 
Dispersion we have invaded all productive countries; and we 
obliged our proud conquerors, the Persians, Macedonians, Par- 
thians and Romans to address and to treat us as their allies in- 


JESUS OR BAR-ABBAS? 


499 


Stead of conquered subjects. We also wisely managed to play 
upon their conceit and superstitions so as to make them believe that 
it was their duty to grant us such privileges as even their most 
powerful subjects would not dare to ask for. We rule our con- 
querors through their ambitions, their lust of power, their credu- 
lities and vices. 

The disappearance of the Shekhenah was attributed to the 
transgressions of Israel. Its non-reappearance at Jerusalem, has 
so far served us amazingly well to keep our co-religionists 
throughout the world from becoming too lax in their observances 
of our Law ; for fear that they should, through such neglect, 
forfeit all chances of its restoration in a glorious future. It has 
been, and will continue to be, something centralizing, something 
to hope for, something to pray for, something to work for 
against the Gentiles; something for which to pay tax and tribute 
whereby its ministering priests and once favored residence, the 
Temple, may be maintained. It will continue to be the objective 
blessing which each succeeding generation may expect to reap- 
pear in their day, to crown them with honor and triumph. 

The younger of the aged men had remarked : Well truly that 
is very good thus far, but will not this very world-wide dispersion 
of our co-religionists but be the beginning of the end of Judaism ? 
Will not the younger generations, through association in business 
or pastimes with Gentiles among whom they dwell, drift away ? 
Will they not be influenced by Pagan contempt for our peculiar 
observances, to question, to doubt, and finally to declare openly 
that the history of the Shekhenah is as much of a myth as the 
heathen stories of their deities ? 

The centenarian had answered : Doubtless many do thus 
drift away, but only to ingraft the belief in the divine Shekhenah 
upon the changing creeds of the Gentiles. If however any of 
our Jews should doubt its divine origin they will not dare to utter 
blasphemy as a public statement of such scepticism. We 
Still have the authority even from our heathen oppressors to pun- 

' / , 

I 


500 


lESAT NASSAR* 


ish an enemy of the Name by stoning, and then to hang him up 
on a cross were he even a noble of Gentile race ; provided only 
that he be a subject of our allies. — Ah 1 he had added in triumphant 
though quavering tones: The Gentile kings, our allies, never 
troubled themselves to ascertain the nature of all the decrees of 
their predecessors, which they confirmed tons! — We therefore 
possess even now, in yonder temple archives, a decree, secured by 
our wise forefathers which has never been repealed ; and which if 
wisely interpreted, could lay any opponent short of a Caesar, low 
in the dust of death. 

Ananus now recollected that the centenarian had, in the 
prime of life, held the office of Governor of the Temple. He 
wondered how it was that his father had never made use of the 
power bestowed by the decree, against Jesus, since he had so 
long been determined to put him to death. Could he be ignor- 
ant of its existence, or had he forgotten ? He now also won- 
dered why he himself had for so many years, so entirely forgotten 
the conversation of the aged rabbis as though he had never 
heard it. Any way, it must be his fortune and lot to save Juda- 
ism at this crisis, and he determined not to share with anybody 
else the honor and glory that would accrue to such a saviour. 

Having thus reviewed the past and arranged for future action, 
Ananus retired to rest well satisfied. In the morning he artfully 
obtained Eleazar’s permission to search the temple archives for 
any records which, he explained, might by wise interpretation be 
the means of convicting Jesus of trespass on temple property, 
when he deprived them of the privilege of holding their markets 
within its precincts. Ananus further stated, that it would be nec- 
essary for him to search the earliest records and deeds corncern- 
ing the privileges which the Persian monarchs, who had built 
the second temple, had granted in regard to the sacrifices and 
offerings. — Eleazar had joyfully consented, and offered his brother 
the services of his own scribes to assist him in the search. But 
Ananus declined on the plea that officious scribes would only 


JESUS OR BAR-ABBAS? 


501 

prove a hinderance to him in a choice selection of necessary 
matter; and to make such wise choice he considered isolation 
and deliberation absolutely indispensable. 

After a long, diligent and fruitless search, Ananus sat down 
to rest himself upon one of the cedar chests in which old records 
were kept. He looked disconsolately at several medium-sized 
and not very ancient chests that were piled upon one another 
against the opposite wall, and which he had not opened because 
he had considered them not sufficiently antiquated to be the re- 
pository of such a document. He decided to examine them 
next, and while attempting to dislodge the one on the top, Anan- 
us discovered that there was a small iron door in the wall behind 
the chests. His heart gave a tremendous throb ; then almost 
ceased to beat as the thought flashed through his mind that per- 
chance some great treasure lay concealed behind that barrier. 
He moved the chests aside, and on closer inspection found a key 
on a ledge above the lintel of the door. The dust of many years 
lay thick over all. He removed the dust from the brass key and 
oiled it, inserted it into the door, and after some perseverance 
was rewarded by its turning in the lock. He pushed the door 
open with some difficulty, not only on account of its weight, but 
also of the stiflhess of the pivots from long disuse. 

Looking in, he saw that the chamber was small and contained 
a number of ancient cedar chests. He lighted a silver lamp and 
entered. A hasty examination showed Ananus that the chest 
held nothing more valuable than records. He therefore resumed 
the search for the decree. As the chests contained the records 
of different epochs, Ananus soon found the one that held those 
of the Persian period of sovereignty. Among these, in a brass 
cylinder, and wrapped in soft kid leather, he found two rolls tied 
together. One of these was written in Hebrew and purported to 
be a translation of the other which was in the Persian language. 
By reading the translation, he found that it was the decree cf 
King Darius. His brain reeled as he began to understand what 


502 


lESAT NASSAR. 


unlimited power this would give the chief priests and rulers of 
the Jews over Jesus, and even over Helena and Izates should 
they prove refractory. 

Ananus carried away the rolls of the decree and translation ; 
taking them directly to his father’s house, where he found Annas 
at home. When in a strictly private interview with his son, An- 
nas learned the nature of the find, he became filled with ecstatic 
exultation, and blessed and praised his son repeatedly as the 
saviour of Judaism. Without delay, he dispatched his confiden- 
tial scribe to his son-in-law, the High Priest, to request his imme- 
diate presence in order to confer on a matter of the gravest im- 
portance which demanded instant attention. 

On his return the messenger was accompanied by Caiaphas, 
who had hardly crossed the threshold of the chamber when An- 
nas started up from his seat, and rushing up, embraced his son- 
in-law, as he exclaimed effusively : Surely Jehovah is good to Is- 
rael! For our feet were almost gone, our steps had well-nigh 
slipped 1 But he loveth the righteous, and hath opened our eyes 
that we may turn the way of the wicked upside down ! The Je- 
hovah shall reign forever 1 

Trembling with eager anticipation of the joyful surprise in 
store for Caiaphas, and with pride of his son, Annas led the 
High Priest to the dewan where they both sat down. Then he 
continued : Let us praise and magnify the strength of Jacob, 
^Yh^ hath raised up a mighty salvation in the house of his ser- 
vant David through one of my children ; even by the wisdom of 
this my beloved Ananus. — And now, my son, he added, turning 
to Ananus, show thy brother the priceless treasure which .thou 
hast discovered. 

During this time Ananus had kept his seat, and stroking his 
beard had regarded his brother-in-law with an air of subdued 
triumph. He had thrown the end of his large cloak of silk and 
gold, over the Hebrew translation, and now handed the original 
document to Caiaphas; who, when he had opened and examined 


JESUS OR BAR-ABBAS? 


503 

it, gazed with blank and puzzled air, and said : But what is this ? 
None of us can read it ! 

The father smiled slyly, well pleased with his son’s little trick 
at the High Priest’s expense; while Ananus, with an air of 
marked condescension handed Caiaphas the Hebrew translation 
of the Persian decree. 

Caiaphas eagerly devoured the contents, and when he had 
read it through, dropped the document in his lap; and then 
looked from father to son with dazed and inquiring stare. 

With an ominous laugh, Ananus said : Well, thinkest thou 
that the Roman Pilate will now be able to deliver Jesus Nassar 
out of our hands ? 

Caiaphas knew full well that the High Priests had, through 
the ages, always obtained enormous privileges and grants for 
their temple and priesthood from the successive conquerors and 
rulers of the land ; even permission from the Caesars to put all 
Romans to death who should dare to enter the temple enclosure 
further than the Court of the Gentiles. But he had had no 
knowledge of the unlimited power that had been granted the 
Jewish Hierocracy by this decree. No important occasion having 
arisen to put it in effect, its very existance had been forgotten. . 

The High Priest, recovering from his astonishment, exclaimed: 
By my life ! surely the Helper of Israel liveth yet ! since he gave 
and preserved this power unto us. What is the authority of a 
Pilate now ? Not even Caesar, nor he of Parthia, who is named 
King of Kings, can now rescue Jesus Nassar out of our hands. 
For is not this a decree of the Medes and Persians which, once 
signed, cannot by them be altered. It has also been confirmed 
to us by all our heathen oppressors; although they knew not 
what they assured unto us. 

After a careful discussion during which Ananus was respect- 
fully deferred to on account of his legal learning and shrewdness, 
it was agreed to send for Eleazar, Jonathan, Mathias and Theo- 
philus. The good news was soon imparted to them, and then 


5^4 


lESAT NASSAR. 


they were dispatched to invite such members of the Sanhedrim, 
upon whose sympathy and support this ruling family could fully 
rely. These were asked to meet at the offical residence of Annas 
that night directly after the supper hour, to learn of the great de- 
liverance which would be wrought for the Judaism of the Temple. 

That informal meeting of the Sanhedrists at the residence of 
Annas, became fraught with more serious consequences to human- 
ity than the world has peril aps yet comprehended. 

The Jewish Hierocracy of the time had apprehended the 
extent of their own authority, but it was only when the nature of 
Darius’ decree had been thoroughly discussed by the ecclesiasti- 
cal lawyers, that they fully understood the autocratic power which 
it had placed within their grasp. They became so elated, that 
henceforth they regarded themselves invincible ; incited and en- 
couraged each other to the most outrageous and brutal villainies 
against the laity, and to the wildest excesses of lawlessness 
against the Roman Government. Thus they eventually brought 
about the destruction of the Temple which had made the cen- 
tralization of a Jewish Hierocracy possible. 

This conclave, not only determined the doom of Jesus, but . 
also the doom of all his followers who in the ages to come, 
should dare to oppose the dogmas and precepts of the Jewish 
hierocracy. 

The next day they summoned the Sanhedrists to meet at the 
house of Caiaphas, and thither they also brought Jesus. This 
time the chief rulers did not seek for witnesses against him from 
among the laity ; but some of the priests who had been present 
at the purgation of the temple markets now testified, that they 
had heard Jesus say that he would destroy their temple which was 
made with hands, and build another made without hands. — But 
when these witnesses were examined and cross-questioned by 
Nicodemus and his party, their testimony did not agree on 
essential points. 

Then Caiaphas had recourse to their favorite device of snar- 


JESUS OR BAR-ABBAS? 


5^5 


ing the accused to make some statement that could be inter- 
preted as a confession of guilt. He consequently asked Jesus to 
correct the testimony of the priests. — But Jesus understood what 
was the High Priest’s aim, and made no reply whatever. 

Disappointed by the dignified silence of the Lord, Caiaphas 
became so enraged that he started to his feet ; and shaking his 
open hand at Jesus, demanded in loud, harsh, angry tones : — 
Answerest thou nothing ? What is it which these witness 
against thee ?” But the Divine Man held his peace and answered 
not a word. 

The decree of Darius was submitted to the Roman Governor, 
who duly investigated the matter, and finally ascertained that it 
had never been repealed and therefore was in force ; because 
the Roman Caesars had confirmed to the Jews all privileges that 
had been granted them by former governments. 

At this time also, some of the disciples who had travelled to 
Adiabene, returned with the sad news that King Izates had 
proved obdurate, and deaf to all their entreaties and arguments. 

The High Priest now demanded the death warrant for Jesus, 
on the grounds that he had said that he would destroy their 
Temple and build another. Pilate being determined to save 
Jesus from his malignant foes, if human ingenuity could compass 
that end, made light of the accusation ; and reminded the High 
Priest that Jesus could not destroy their sanctuary without the 
assistance of an army which would need to be superior to that of 
Rome ; under whose protection their Temple was at that time. 

The chief priests and rulers however insisted that the people 
might be led to believe that Jesus could accomplish the destruc- 
tion of the Temple by miraculous power; and thus cause an 
insurrection. 

The Governor replied that if Jesus could really destroy and 
rebuild the temple by supernatural power, there could be no 
material loss to any one, but on the contrary the performance of 
such a stupendous miracle would afford much entertainment to 


5o6 


lESAT NASSAR. 


all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the surrounding country, 
both Jews and Gentiles. He further argued that the temple 
which Darius had built and protected by his decree, was no longer 
in existence ; having been completely demolished by Herod the 
Great, who had built the existing edifice on a much larger and 
more magnificent scale. Therefore, even if Jesus had conspired 
or threatened to destroy Herod’s Temple, he did not incur the 
penalty that was attached to the attempt to destroy Darius’ 
Temple. 

Not till they were convinced of the futility of such accusations, 
did Annas and Caiaphas of necessity reveal to Pilate the true 
reason for their determination to kill Jesus. They called his at- 
tention to the fact that it was not the material Temple itself 
which was so strictly protected by Darius’ decree, but its great 
prerogative as the House of their Deity, which had manifested 
itself in an oracular and a visible manner in the first Jewish 
Temple built by SolomoUc This prerogative of their successive 
temples, had been acknowledged and confirmed by the Mace- 
donian, Parthian and Roman conquerors having sent offerings 
and sacrifices for the Jewish Deity whose Name (Shekhenah) 
dwelt in the temple of Jerusalem even though it did not at the 
time manifest itself visibly. 

Pilate made a rigorous inquiry as to the means whereby Jesus 
could possibly hope to destroy such prerogative ; since no man 
had the power to prevent a visible or oracular manifestation of 
the Supreme Deity. — Thus the Roman Governor elicited the in- 
formation that Jesus had taught the people, — that the manifesta- 
tions of their Jehovah, both the visible Glory and the voice-oracle, 
had been made by men’s hands; and therefore were not the 
special manifestations of the Great Supreme Creator whom no 
man had ever seen or heard; except as manifested in His uni- 
verse. That the Almighty God was Spirit, and was manifested 
only to the Soul of man who sought him in spirit and in truth. 
The spirit of man was therefore the only chosen dwelling place 


JESUS OR BAR- ABBAS? 


507 

of the Great Wise One,’^ and that spirit was not made with 
hands nor confined to any locality. 

When Pilate had learned all this, he saw plainly that accord- 
ing to the Jewish law, Jesus was guilty of blasphemy in denying 
the Shekhenah to have been the special manifestation of the 
Deity, and ecclesiastical Israel to be the only begotten Son cf 
God ; as also for asserting that he himself was the Son of God. 

‘For such blasphemy, the penalty was death by stoning. — Further, 
according to the decree of Darius, Jesus had likewise incurred 
the penalty of being destroyed and then hanged on a cross, for 
attempting to destroy the prerogative of the Temple as the special 
residence of the Deity. 

Then the Roman Governor realized that he could not save 
Jesus, except perchance by an appeal to the people. He there- 
fore delayed signing the death warrant until such appeal should 
have been made. 

It was the custom for the Roman Governors to release some 
Jewish criminal at the feast of the Passover, At this time the 
Roman authorities had caught and condemned to death, for 
murder, the notable Bar- Abbas who, among the laity of the Jews, 
had been chiefly distinguished for lawless oppression and robbery 
of the country people. Pilate also knew how Bar-Abbas, under 
the guise of a religious zealot and patriot, had oppressed, robbed 
and terrorized his co-religionists. 

The Governor believed that if he should offer to set Jesus 
free at this approaching festival, the people, whose benefactor 
Jesus had been for so many years, would hail this offer not only 
with great gladness, but also with deep gratitude. He could 
then force the Hierocracy to let him go free. 

While proclamation was being made that on a stated day the 
Roman Governor would release a prisoner according to the 
annual custom, the chief priests and rulers were working diligently 
to defeat Pilate’s purpose. 

First they gave notice to all of Bar- Abbas’ followers and 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Sc8 

friends to be present in order to demand the release of their 
chief. Next they notified the leaders of the other bands of 
Zealots and Sicarii, who were in the regular or occasional em- 
ploy of the Hierocracy, to bring all their followers to mingle with 
the multitude, in order to demand the release of Bar-Abbas. 
This rough and lawless element was to silence effectually, all 
those who should dare to ask for Jesus. Through the agency of 
their regular emissaries, these chief priests hired all the roughs, 
rowdies, thieves and other criminals of Jerusalem and of the 
neighboring towns and villages, to be present for the same pur- 
poses. 

The sons of Annas tralismitted the orders of their father and 
of the High Priest, to all the temple-priests, shokhets (priest- 
butchers), money changers, traders in sacrificial and sacred wares 
with their employees, and to all others who made a livelihood by 
any trade or commerce connected with the hierocracy. They 
were instructed to gather together to protect themselves and their 
interests against Jesus who had threatened to destroy the Temple, 
and consequently their great source of revenue. The heathen 
oppressor Pilate, desired to release this Jesus Nassar in order 
that he might accomplish his purpose and destroy the Theocracy 
of Israel forever. 

In all the synagogues, the rabbis made an appeal to their con- 
gregations in the same strain, and at the same time threatened 
with the great excommunication, every person who should be 
known or heard to speak in favor of Jesus. Thus they easily 
secured the sympathy and assistance of the bigots and fanatics, 
both of Jews and proselytes, and insured the silence of such as 
might have otherwise demanded the release of Jesus. 

At this time, as formerly, the Tower of Antonia was the resi- 
dence of the Roman Governor. This immense fortress was 
erected on a rock fifty cubits in height and the outer walls of its 
buildings were not less than forty. The interior,’^ says Jose- 
phus, had the largeness and form of a palace, being parted into 


JESUS OR feAR-ABBAS? 


509 


rooms and other conveniences; such as courts and places for 
bathing, and broad spaces for camps ; insomuch, that by having 
all conveniences that cities wanted, it might seem to be com- 
posed of several cities, but by its magnificence it seemed to be a 
palace. The entire structure resembled that of a tower and con- 
taining four distinct towers at the four corners. Three of these 
were each fifty cubits in height, and the one on the south-east 
corner seventy cubits ; from whence the whole temple might be 
viewed. It had passages down to the two cloisters of the Temple, 
through which the guards went armed, on the Jewish festivals, 
among the cloisters to watch the people that they might not make 
any attempt at innovations. For the Temple was a fortress that 
guarded the city, as was the Tower of Antonia a guard to the 
Temple, and in that Tower were the guards of those three; for a 
Roman legion alw'ays lay in this Tower.” 

The principal space for the camp was of enormous size and 
was named “ The Pavement.” At the west end of this tessalated 
Pavement there was a very large space raised like a dais. On 
this, when occasion required, the Governor held his Court in- 
stead of in the Praetorium of the fortress. Whenever the case 
necessitated the presence of the Jewish Pontiff and chief priests, 
the judgment seat of the Roman Governor was placed on this 
dais; because the Jewish high priests refused to enter the 
Praetorium on the plea, that, as priests of Jehovah they were de- 
barred from entering the Judgment-hall of any other government 
than their own. Among themselves, the Jews held that every 
Israelite was a sovereign over Gentiles, and therefore the High 
Priest was, in their own estimation, a king of kings and a rabbi 
of rabbis, z: e., a lord of lords. Consequently to enter the Prae- 
torium of a Gentile governor as a subordinate to the presiding 
judge, would be a defilement and humiliation of the worst kind 
for the Jewish pontiffs. The Romans who were most lenient, 
permitted them to compromise by holding Court under the open 
sky. The chief priests could find no pretext to object to this 


lESAT NASSAIR. 


arrangement, because the canopy of the sky was owned by the 
Creator alone. 

So on the day appointed by Pilate for his appeal to the people 
from the decision of their hierocracy against Jesus, the judg- 
ment-seat was placed on this great dais of the Pavement. 

The Roman legion was under arms at an early hour. The 
streets and lanes of the city that led to the fortress were thronged 
with all classes of people, citizens, pilgrims and inhabitants of 
the neighboring towns and villages. All robed in holiday attire, 
they were crowding one another, each one intent on securing ad- 
mission to the Pavement. 

The thousands of Zealots and Sicarii with the rest of the 
turbulent and lawless element that had come at the bidding of 
the Chief Priests, mingled among the other people. As they went 
along the streets with arms raised aloft, they clapped their hands 
in accompaniment to a shouting chant in praise of Judaism and 
its Temple; and of this the refrain was yelled with fierce zest: 

Oh the faith of our Jehovah and the defense of his Temple! ” 
In this, the fanatics and bigots joined with loud voices, clapping 
of hands and hysterical fervor. 

Caiaphas and Annas with the chief priests and rulers arrived 
about two hours before noon. They were given seats on a low 
dewan to the left of the Judgment seat. 

By order of the Governor, Jesus had been brought to the 
palace. He was conducted thither by the ecclesiastical police, 
but well guarded by a company of Roman soldiers to protect 
him from any attempt on his life by the fanatics in the streets. 

The steward in the Palace Grapte had sent a change of rai- 
ment and the princely cloak of scarlet-purple gold bordered silk, 
for Jesus. This was delivered to the Roman officer, who gave 
his soldiers orders to put these robes on Jesus when they had 
brought him to the Governor’s palace; and this was so done. 

When all was ready, the Governor came out of the palace on 
to the dais, bringing Jesus with him. He then sat down on the 


jEStjrS OR BAR-ABBAS ? 


judgment seat. After this, a shout rose from the vast muUitude 
of assembled thousands on the Pavement, demanding that Pilate 
should release a prisoner according to his annual custom. 

The signal was given that Pilate would speak. — He said : Ye 
have a custom that I should release unto you one at the Pass- 
over. I will therefore release Jesus. 

In reply, a roar went up from the people. — Away with this 
man, Jesus! — Release unto us Bar-Abbas! Bar-Abbas! 

Painful as had been Pilate’s personal experience hitherto, 
through the ignorant bigotry and fanaticism of the populace, he 
was nevertheless astonished at this answer. But believing that 
the people were not altogether inhuman, Pilate addressed them 
again; and reminded them what a benefactor Jesus had ever 
been to the sick, the needy, the poor, the sorrowful and the un- 
learned. 

But the crowd answered with an ominous howl : — Let him be 
crucified ! 

Almost in despair, the Roman Governor appealed a third 
time to the assembled multitude. Motioning to Jesus, who 
stood to the right of the judgment seat to step forward, he said; 
Behold, I have brought Him forth unto you, that ye may know 
that I find no fault in Him at all ! — Behold the Man ! — What 
evil hath He ever done ? 

Starting to their feet, Caiaphas and Annas with the other 
chief priests and rulers, shrieked : Crucify Him ! Crucify Him ! 
You, Oh Governor, are not the friend of Caesar if you release 
this man; for He hath declared that He is the Son of God and 
therefore a King! — Are you inclined that He should be king 
and not Caesar ? 

This malignant taunt to Pilate, was quickly repeated by the 
crowds who, with frenzied yells and frantic waving of arms, 
cried : Crucify Him ! Crucify Him ! 

Then the Governor became angry, and said to them: Your 


512 


lESAT NASSAR. 


nation hath always been seditious, and you are always against 
those who have been of service to you. 

But the chief priests with their people continued vociferously 
to demand the release of Bar-Abbas, and the death of Jesus. 

When Pilate saw that all efforts in behalf of Jesus were in 
vain, and that a tumult was made, he declared that the Roman 
Government, in his person, would first be cleared of the imputa- 
tion of complicity in causing the death of an innocent man. 

Then they brought a basin of polished brass and placed it on 
a low ebony stand before the judgment-seat ; and an a,ttendant 
held the polished brass ewer, and stood to the left of Pilate. 

Perfect silence reigned while Pilate held his hands over the 
basin and the attendant poured water over them. As he washed 
his hands, the Governor said in a loud, distinct and solemn 
tone : I, Pontius Pilate, as the representative of the Roman Gov^- 
ernment of J udea, do hereby declare, that I am innocent of the 
blood of this just person Jesus ! — See ye to it. 

A deathlike silence of a few moments ensued, and then a 
fierce shout rose from the priests and people of the Jews: ‘‘His 
blood be upon us and upon our children ! ” 

Pilate rose. — Facing the vast multitude with a look of intense 
scorn depicted upon his strong Roman features, he addressed 
them in a loud voice : 

Oh, people of the Jews; your priests and rulers have ad- 
judged Jesus Nassar to be worthy of death by stoning and cruci- 
fixion, according to the laws of your religion. His suzerains. 
Queen Helena and King Izate both withdrew their protection 
from him, and agreed that he should be so adjudged. 

According to the laws of Rome, Jesus Nassar has not com- 
mitted any offence worthy of death. Had he been a citizen of 
Rome, he would have the right of appeal to Caesar, 

The Caesars confirmed to you, all privileges that you had ob- 
tained from former governors of your nation. 

Your priests and rulers have insisted that the decree of the 


JESUS OR BAR-ABBAS? 


513 

Persian, Darius Hystaspes, protecting your temple as the strong- 
hold of your creed, be enforced in this case. 

My appeal to you to save Jesus Nassar from the sentence of 
your priests and rulers has been futile. You demand his death. 
I have made manifest to you that Rome will not be responsible 
for the murder of this great and virtuous man. 

You have undertaken the responsibility of the murder of Je- 
sus Nassar, and have called down his blood upon yourselves and 
upon your clnldren. So be it. I therefore give decree that it 
shall be as you require. 

Then, turning to Jesus with a look of ineffable sorrow, Pilate 
said: I have done what I could. Vale Homine Dei.” 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XLIII. Also page of 
same, 544. 




33 


lESAT NASSAR. 


SH 


CHAPTER XLIV. 


THE GREAT MURDER. 

The chief priests and rulers had won the day. To prevent a 
reversal of feeling in the multitude, many of whom might have 
been affected by the words of Pilate and the noble mien of their 
victim, they gave the signal to their people to raise a shout of 
victory, and in the din and confusion that followed the ecclesias- 
tical police hurried Jesus away. 

Between the upper city and the lower, and just outside of 
the wall there was a wide, open space, where towered a rock 
about twenty-five feet high. Not far from the highest peak of 
the rock was a cavern that had been turned into a dungeon for 
prisoners awaiting execution. Here there were two robbers 
chained to the wall, and who were to be crucified the next 
day. 

The door of the dungeon was opened, and Jesus was thrust 
forward by the guards with loud curses and jeers. One of these 
robbers started up and gazed with a look of bewilderment on 
his face. 

Is it possible that this is my Lord! or am I dreaming? he 
exclaimed. 

‘‘ Yes, this is your Lord, your Son of God ! and to-morrow he 
will perish with you, replied the Mallukh-Ha-Moveth in derision, 
and he struck Jesus on the head. 

Then the guards put Jesus in stocks that were cut in the 
stone, and fastened his feet underneath the cross-bar by a chain. 

In this position of torture our Lord stood faint and weary • 
his heart full of anguish, not for himself, but for his Mother and 
for the faithful disciples who, now deprived of his wise and loving 
guardianship, were more than ever exposed to the malignant 
persecutions of the chief priests. His spirit sorrowed for men. 


THE GREAT MURDER. 


515 


who, by reason of the greed, avarice and lust of power of their 
leaders and rulers, were kept in ignorance and brutalized, and 
whose development into the spiritual life was thus crushed. 

The robbers watched him in silence for a while, and one of 
them said to the other : Whence do you know this man, and why 
spake you of him as your lord ? 

Tityrus, for it was he who had made the exclamation when 
Jesus was brought into the dungeon, replied : This, Oh Du- 
machus, is my Lord lesat Nassar; to whom I swore fealty when 
my leaders, the Magi, came from our country to do him homage 
while he was a babe. Dost thou remember that day in Egypt, 
when I let thee keep my belt full of money to prevent thee from 
giving the alarm to our band when the Beni Nisr passed ? 

Yea verily, I do. For on that night the Beni Nimr broke up 
our band and captured our chief, replied Dumachus. 

Our chief had been hired to kill my lord on that day, said 
Tityrus. 

I then thought that thou didst act strangely, I understand it 
now. But why did the Mallukh-Ha-Moveth call him the Son of 
God ? 

My Lord was sent by Mazda, the Great Creator, to destroy 
the malice of demons and of men, by his all-conquering, victori- 
ous knowledge which will make the world progress unto perfec- 
tion. That is what our Magi taught us. 

The large open space or square, where stood the rock, was a 
great market place, and also the place of execution. At an early 
hour on Friday morning, crowds of men and women were seen 
hurrying hither from all directions in and outside of the city. 
For three executions were to take place. Two robbers were to 
be executed by the Romans, and Jesus was to suffer death at the 
hands of the Jewish Hierocracy. The Roman soldiers lined the 
streets and roads leading to the place of execution, to preserve 
order; and their highly burnished shields and helmets dazzlingly 
reflected the bright rays of the morning sun. In the market- 


lESAT NASSAR. 


place, and directly under the rock, the soldiers formed a hollow 
square to prevent any obstruction of the view of the execution. 
And to give the executioners full room for their operations. 

Two sentries were stationed at the door of the dungeon with 
the chief priests and their guards. The door is opened, and 
Jesus is led out by the ecclesiastical guards. Close behind, fol- 
low the two robbers in charge of the soldiers. 

Dumachus, pale with terror, shrieked: Oh Jesus! if thou art 
truly the Son of God, save Thyself and us. 

Fear God, man; interrupted Tityrus. This just man is suf- 
fering innocently ; while we must pay the penalty for our crimes, 
of which we now repent. — Then he cried : Lord Jesus ! I die 
to-day with thee. Remember me when thou comest into thy 
Kingdom. 

Jesus looked back; his countenance illumined with divine 
refulgence. He replied : Tityrus; to-day — to*day shalt thou be 
with me in Paradise. 

Jesus was then taken into the square formed by the Roman 
soldiers, and was led all round by the Chief Priests and their 
guards. A herald preceded him and proclaimed in a loud vo'ice : 
This is the tyrant who attempted the dissolution of the Sabbath 
and the destruction of our holy religion and of our Sanctuary ! 

The chief priests responded in tones of derisive triumph : 
He saved others; Himself he cannot save ! He trusted in God! 
Let Him deliver him now, if he desireth him ! 

They then kd Jesus up to the highest peak of the rock, and 
placed him on the edge overlooking the square. 

The High Priest Caiaphas approached as the first witness 
against Jesus for blasphemy, and pushing him violently off the 
rock, exclaimed with a loud voice : Perish, thou blasphemer of 
Jehovah !” 

As Jesus fell into the square formed by the soldiers, Annas, 
as second witness, who was waiting below, lifted up a large stone 
from a heap prepared for the purpose, and threw it with all his 


THE GREAT MURDER. 


517 

might upon the heart of Jesus. The other priests and rulers, as 
witnesses and representatives of their congregation, continued to 
stone Him until life was apparently extinct. 

In accordance with the law of Moses and the decree of 
Darius, the body was now to undergo the indignity of crucifixion. 

The chief priests had ordered that the cross of Jesus should 
be placed between the crosses of the two robbers, and on this 
cross our Lord was fastened. 

Mingled with the execrations and jeers of the rabble, were 
heard heart-rending wailings of women and sorrowful groans of 
men who smote their breasts. 

Suddenly, Jesus lifted his head, uttered an awe-inspiring cry 
of physical agony as his heart broke. His head dropped, and 
our Lord Jesus was dead. 

The centurion in command of the century stationed immedi- 
ately at the crosses, had also stood guard near Pilate on the pre- 
vious day when the Governor had made an appeal to the people 
for Jesus. He and his men had heard all that had been 
said. 

They had observed the kingly beaming of Jesus, they had 
been impressed with the calmness and steadfastness with which 
he upheld the principles of holiness and righteousness before Pi- 
late, in the presence of the howling mob of priests and rabble 
that thirsted for his blood ; and they had witnessed how he had 
given his life, that was taken by torture, in defense of his princi- 
ples. 

The brave bronzed warriors who had faced death on a score 
of battle-fields, felt forced to give expression to their feelings, as 
they declared: Verily this man is the bravest of soldiers. 
Truly this is the Son of God! 

When Jesus was pronounced dead, Joseph of Arimathea 
showed to the centurion a permit he had obtained from Pilate to 
take the body of Jesus and to bury it. 

Joseph was accompanied by Nicodemus and several of the 


lESAT NASSAR. 


disciples. Gently and reverently these men took down the body; 
carried it into a neighboring building where all preparations had 
been made for washing, anointing and robing the body of their 
Lord and Master. 

Here waited the mother of Jesus with the holy women who 
had followed him during his ministry. After they had rendered 
the last services to the beloved Son and Master, the disciples 
with Joseph and Nicodemus, and accompanied by a Roman 
guard to protect them against any attack by the emissaries of 
the chief priests, carried the body and laid it in the sepulchre of 
Joseph of Arimathea. 


See Appendix corresponding chap. XLIV. Also page of 
same, 565. 



t 



RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. 


519 


CHAPTER XLV. 


RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. 

The blue of dawn of Sunday morning was just becoming per- 
ceptible, when the holy women came out of the Gate of the Es- 
senes ; then wended their way northwards till they arrived at the 
sepulchre. They had come hither, drawn by that mysterious 
power which silently calls us to the places where lie all that is 
mortal of our beloved who have gone before us, as though to 
tell them: We also will follow you. 

The holy women selected this very early hour to mourn at 
Jesus^ tomb so that they might not be molested by the priests 
and also by all the Jews. For according to the Jewish law an 
apostate from the Jewish fate was not to be mourned; but on the 
contrary white dres^ was to be worn on the occasion of his de- 
cease, and other demonstrations of joy were to be made. 

As the holy women approached the enclosure, their grief was 
overwhelming, and their eyes were blinded with tears. 

When they stood before the holy sepulchre, they heard a 
manly, sympathetic voice saying : Why seek ye the living among 
the dead ? He is not here, for He is risen as He taught us. 

They looked up in bewilderment. There was hardly light 
enough to discern objects distinctly. But looking closer they 
saw two white-robed men inside the sepulchre, and one of these 
had uttered the cheering words. 

It was the evening of the same day. In an upper room in 
the house of Joseph of Arimathea, on Mount Zion, these holy 
women were assembled with the Blessed Mother of Jesus, and 
John and Peter and other of the disciples. The doors were 
closed to prevent any raid by the chief priests. 

They were speaking of the beloved Lord, when He suddenly 
appeared in their midst. Their hearts almost ceased to beat for 


520 


lESAT NASSAR. 


rapture. They gazed at Him, speechless with holy awe. Yes, 
it was indeed the same Jesus, their beloved Master, who stood 
among them. And hark ! it is the same loving voice that is 
saying: Peace be unto you. And then He was no longer visible 
to them. 

Not very long after, there was a large gathering of the disci- 
ples of Jesus, both men and women, on the Mount of Olives; 
near Virii Galilei. The glad news had spread among the Lord’s 
followers that He had appeared to some of them. 

Many of them that had come out from the Jews and Egyp- 
tians said: Our Lord is now invincible. He has conquered 
death, and the chief priests and rulers will not dare to lay hands 
on Him again, seeing that death had no power over Him. 

Didymus said to these : Brethren, the Lord is risen indeed. 
He is the first fruit of the perfect resurrection, for He is risen in 
the fullness of His unconquerable strength. He has borne the 
image of the earthly, and the brethren saw Him in His glorified 
state. 

Do you not remember how He taught us that there is a 
spiritual body as well as a natural body ? That the natural body 
must die ; that the spiritual body is immortal ; that only through 
the gates of death, unhampered by our earthly tabernacle, can 
we enter into full possession of the inheritance, visible and invis- 
ible, which the All- Father has prepared for His children. 

While the brethren thus communed in the full glory of the 
noonday sunlight, Jesus appeared in their midst. 

Peter exclaimed : Stand back brethren, that all may behold 
the face of our divine Lord and Master! 

Jesus spoke: Children, I ascend to my Father and your 
Father, to my God and your God. My Peace I leave with 
you. 

As he said these words, he raised his hands in blessing over 
them. And as He blessed them. He slowly rose, ascending 
higher and higher until he passed up beyond their sight. They 




RESSURRECTION AND ASCeNSIoN. 521 

were all filled with holy joy and fell down and worshipped the 
ascended Lord. ^ 

Jesus Hail ! enthroned in glory, 

There for ever to abide, 

All the heavenly hosts adore Thee, 

Seated at the Father’s side. 

Mighty Victor ! reign for ever. 

Wear the crown so dearly won ; 

Never shall thy people, never 

Cease to sing what Thou hast done. 

Thou hast borne Thy people’s woes. 

Thou will conquer all their foes. 

Worship, honor, power and blessing. 

Thou art worthy to receive ; 

Loudest praises without ceasing. 

Meet it is for us to give. 


See Appendix corresponding chap, XLV. 





•4 



APPENDIX 


SECTION I. 

VICISSITUDES OF THE BIBLE RECORDS. 

The Rabbis of the Jews assert that the Law has given them 
the power of adding or diminishing in those things which pertain 
to the precej)ts and exhortations of the law, according as shall 
appear right to the wise men of each generation ; even if those 
wise men should decree the right hand to be the left, or the left 
to be the right. The Rabbis further maintain that those things 
which are written in the Law, require expositons to be derived 
from the Cabala, which they fabricate. — Mod. Judaism. John 
Allen^ London, i8i6. 

The Talmud teaches : Knowest thou not that when a Rabbi 
says : ‘ '1 his thy right hand is thy left, and this thy left hand is 
tiiy right,’ thou must believe it, or thou wilt be damned.” “ He 
who goes from the Halacha (the Talmudical teachings) to the 
Scriptures will have no more luck; and he who reads only in the 
Scriptures, and not in the Talmud, is like one who has no God.” 
— Talmud, tract. Chagiga^ fol. X.y col. I. Raf. Aschi, tract. Eru- 
vin upon Deut. XVII. ii. America?! Jew^ Min. Pub. Co. 

Desiring to be teachers of the Law, though they understand 
neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm. — 
I. Tim. i. 

But there arose false prophets among the people ; as among 
you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in 
destructive heresies. There are some that trouble you, and 
would pervert the Gospel of Christ. I marvel that ye are so 
quickly removing from him that called you into the grace ot 
Christ, into a different gospel, which is not another. And that 
because of the false brethren, unawares brought in, v/ho came 
in privily to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, 
that they might bring us into bondage. — II. Peter ii. Gal. i. 
and ii. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


SH 


And certain men came from Judea and taught the brethren 
(Christians in Asia Minor) saying : Except ye be circumcised 
after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved . — Acifs xv. 

The common mention of Scribes indicates the popular 
need of such a class. We can readily understand that the 
Oriental mind would delight in writing enigmatically, that is, by 
conveying by certain expressions a meaning to the initiated 
which the ordinary reader would miss ; or which, at any rate, 
would leave the explanation to the exercise of ingenuity. Par- 
tially in the same class we might reckon the custom of designating 
a word by its initial letter. All these were very much in practice, 
and the subject has points of considerable interest. 

Another matter deserves more serious attention. It will 
scarcely be credited how general the falsification of signatures 
and documents had become. Josephus mentions it {Anf. XVI. 
lo, 4), and we know that Saint Paul was obliged to warn the 
Thessalonians against it. There are scarcely any ancient rabbini- 
cal documents which have not been interpolated by later writers, 
or, as we might euphemistically call it, been re-cast and re- 
edited . — EdersheinC s Jewish Social Life. 

In many instances the Talmud differs from the Holy 
Scriptures when relating the same facts. Thus Joseph is stated 
to have committed adultery with his master’s wife. Moses 
pitched his tent without the camp because he had committed 
adultery and wished to remove suspicion. Jeremiah was also 
guilty of the same offence. Reuben and the sons of Eli did not 
commit the sins imputed to them by the Old Testament. Solo- 
mon never worshipped idols. When the Israelites worshipped 
the golden calf they did it for the best motive — to encourage 
men to repentance. David committed sin with the same object 
in view. For, says the Talmud, from the sin of Israel it is seen 
that if a whole congregation sins, God forgives ; and from the 
sin of King David we learn that if a single individual sins, God 
forgives also . — The Home and Synagogue : The Religious Tract 
Society of London^ England. 

The Early Hebrew-Christian Teachers. — After these 
things (the death of Jesus) five of his disciples were brought be- 
fore the Sanhedrim, judged, condemned and put to death; 
according as it is written in the holy Torah (Old Testament) 


APPENDIX. 


525 

If thou hear in one of thy cities, that there have gone out sons 
of Beliel to lead their fellow citizens astray, thou must put them 
to death.” 

On this, the remainder of the disciples of Jesus, became 
frightened and fled from Jerusalem, and spread themselves over 
other countries; in the mountains of Ararat; the lands of Edom, 
Midian and Helon (Greece). They went from city to city and 
preached about Jesus. But wherever they went, they endured 
great persecutions; and some were slain, and others were 
wounded. 

But this abomination (Christianity) always waxed greater 
and stronger. Therefore the Jewish Sages considered the matter, 
and chose one of their great men, called Rabbi Yohan, that he 
should join himself to the people who believed in Jesus ; in order 
that he might become of assistance to Judaism. 

But Yohan said : How can I forsake Judaism and sin ? So 
the Sages promised that they would pray to God for him, that he 
might inherit Paradise with them as though he had served God 
(remained a Jew) all his life. But in case he should really be- 
come converted to Christianity, they charged him that he should 
always keep in mind and have for his aim, the welfare of Juda- 
ism. 

Then Rabbi Yohan obeyed the Sages and traveled over the 
country, saying: My God Jesus, has sent me to save your souls, 
and to forbid you to go at all in the ways of the Jews. But when 
a Jew wants to send you on an errand, you must go for him 
several miles. And if a Jew smites you on one cheek, you must 
turn the other one also for him to smite. When a Jew curses 
you, you must be quiet, and so you will find favor in the eyes of 
Jesus. Thus Rabbi Yohan was of great assistance to Judaism. 

Then the righteous Abou Shaul became very zealous, and 
taught the Christians that they must not quarrel with the Jews on 
account of their having afflicted Jesus ; but rather be thankful to 
them and do them good, because by such deeds they had given 
the Christians a chance to be saved through faith in Jesus 
(atonement by suflering). 

By such means Rabbi Yohan and Abou Shaul procured a 
good name among the Jewish Sages, and purchased for them- 
selves the world to come ; because by their wisdom they saved 
Judaism, 

Then there arose a man called Mysteres, who taught the 


lESAT NASSAR. 


526 

Christians that they must circumcise their children, and that Jesus 
was only a prophet, as he had said of himself, and not a God. 
Thus the Christians were divided among themselves. 

At that time there was also a wise man among the Jews named 
Rabbi Simon. The Jews of Jerusalem persuaded him also to 
join the Christians, and said to him : On us be the sin, but you 
must go with them to save us. So Rabbi Simon joined the 
Christians, and acted before them as though he was a very 
[)ious Christian. He also endorsed the teachings of Rabbi Yohan 
and of Abou Shaul. 

At his command, the Christians built him a house upon a 
rock; for he to!d them that Jesus had revealed to him that he 
would speak with him there. Also that he should have no wife. 
But Rabbi Simon did this to keep himself from defilement, to 
avoid eating of Christian food, and to be able to study the Torah 
(Jewish Scriptures) in secret. Once a year he gave the Christians 
new commandments in the name of Jesus, but all of them were 
in the interests of Judaism. Rabbi Simon also wrote many 
prayers for the use of Jews during the year, and sent them secretly 
to the Jews. 

Therefore, on Rabbi Yehuda Ish Bari Totha (Judas Iscariot) 
Rabbi Yohan, Abou Shaul and Rabbi Simon Kepha, has been 
pronounced, that : They shall see the goodness of God, and will 
visit his holy Temple. Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri^ i. e. Genera- 
tion of Jesus the Nossri in Talmud, 

The Spurious Peter or Simon Cephas. — Simon Kepha 
delivered this as his message, first bidding them (the Nazarenes) 
to swear to do as he would command. Know, said he, that the 
Crucified hated Israel and their laws, as Isaiah prophesied : ‘Your 
new moons and your feasts my soul hateth.’ Know also that He 
delighteth not in Israel, as Hosea prophesied: ‘You are not my 
people.’ And although it is in His power to extirpate them from 
the earth in a moment, from out of every place, yet he does not 
purpose to destroy them ; but intends to leave them in order that 
they may be in memory of His crucifixion and lapidation (stoning) 
to all generations. Besides this, know that he bore all those great 
sufferings and afflictions to redeem you from Gehenna. And now 
he admonishes and commands you that you should do no evil to 
the Jews; and if a Jew says to a Nazarene: ‘ Go with me one 
parasang, let him go with him two parasangs. And if a Jew 


APPENDIX. 


527 


smites him on the left cheek, let him present to him also the 
right cheek, in order that they (the Jews) may have their reward 
in this world ; while in the next they will be punished in Gehenna. 
And if you do this you will deserve to sit with Him (Jesus) in His 
position .’ — EdersheM s Life of Jesus ^ VoL //., Appendix XVIII. 

Ancient Jewish Forgeries. — As skillful in their preachings 
as in their commercial dealings, the Jews adapted their teachings 
to the disposition of the Pagans about them, and painted the 
Jewish doctrine so happily as to make it acceptable and quite 
natural to very opposite minds. 

The progress of this movement is most easily followed at 
Alexandria. There the Jews had recognized the fact, that, in 
order to convince minds, it was not enough to speak the same 
language as those they were addressing : for, for three centuries 
their Sacred Books, translated into Greek, had been accessible to 
all, but without results : the holy text though known to a few of 
the learned, was still a dead letter to average men of all ranks. 

The masters of Israel were clever enough to conceive that 
they could reach the multitude by calling the authority of Greek 
genius in support of revelation, and confirmed their dogmas by 
explaining them in the words of Pagan poets and philosophers. 
Thus by the use of suppositious works, Linus, Pythagoras, Hesiod, 
Homer and Plato were made to preach faith in the Supreme God 
and a Messiah who should bring glory and happiness to the 
world. It was through a preference which was due at once to 
the mistiness of history and his marvellous deeds, that Orpheus 
became, so to say, the principal patron of this kind of 
teaching. 

A hundred and sixty years before Jesus, the Jewish Aristo- 
bulus, philosopher and courtier under the Ptolomies, inserted 
among these poems a few lines in praise of Moses’ Law, and re- 
touched the ancient verses with phrases of Jewish coloring. 
Thereupon, pursuing his plan, he made shift to show that the 
Old Testament was the single source whence the poets and 
sages of Paganism had drawn their inspirations. A fragment 
of these Orphic Songs which has come down to us, gives us an 
opportunity of studying this forger of antiquities at work. 

God in himself I know not, for a cloud envelopeth Him: 

But His Ten Commandments declare Him unto Men; 

Mortal man hath pqvcr beheld Him. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


528 


‘‘One alone hath been so favored, — he who was born of the 
waters [Moses]. 

“ He hath received his knowledge from heaven on a twofold 
Table.’' 

But Orpheus himself was to yield place to the ancient Sybil. 
Throughout the entire world, at Babylon, in Lydia, at Delphi, 
Samos, Troy, and in Italy, this voice which had laid bare future 
things, was listened to religiously. The Jews were not slow to 
make use of prophecies so revered ; they constrained even those 
to testify in their favor. In the Third Book of the Sibylline 
Oracles, we find traces of this work done by a Jew of Egypt in 
the reign of Ptolomy Philometer (about tbe year B. C. r5o). The 
Sibyl here makes Noe’s daughter-in-law relate the whole history 
of the world after the Tower of Babel. Stories from the Old 
Testament are jumbled with Pagan theogamies; the sons of 
Abraham mingle with the Titans and the Gods of Hesiod; the 
predictions of Pagan oracles are put side by side with those of 
the Seers of Judea. All these prophecies agree in foretelling 
misfortunes nigh at hand, whose sole cause is the idolatry of the 
people ; no other hope is held out to humanity save in a return 
to the true God, to the God of the Hebrews. 

If we read through the Jewish literature of Alexandria at this 
epoch, and at the following period, we find the same method. — 
The same eagerness to show that all truth springs from Israel, 
the same address in making the different aspects of their respec- 
tive doctrines either stand out in bolder relief, or sink out of sight 
according as their purpose demanded. 

This influence which was so active in Alexandria, made itself 
felt, under various forms, in every place where Judaism flourished. 
Everywhere, a throng of proselytes crowded the ghetto, fre- 
quented the synagogue, and thus insensibly drinking in the faith 
of Israel. In the ranks of these new believers, the Gospel re- 
ceived the warmest welcome. Like the sons of Abraham, they, 
too, awaited the Messiah and with him salvation. But they were 
not obstinate in the belief that the Kingdom must be at Jeru- 
salem ; nor did they dream night and day of a restoration of the 
throne of David and the Maccabees. They accepted the univer- 
sal predominance of the Jewish race as foretold by the Rabbis; 
but without longing for the realization of those prophecies. 

When from synagogue to synagogue the rumor spread that 
the Christ had appeared, telling men of God in terms higher than 


APPENDIX. 


529 


the Law, calling him Father and claiming for him and in His 
Name a worship of spirit and of truth, — when it was known that 
he rejected the fleshly wrappings of the Mosaic teachings, — the 
proselytes thronged to embrace the New Faith as one man. 

Josephus alludes to this fact with considerable sorrow : 
‘‘ Many Greeks have embraced our Law ; some have remained 
faithful, others have been unable to bear its austerities, and have 
fallen away.” And so all over the earth, the Jewish communi- 
ties were as vast fields open to the workmen of the Gospel; 
according to the Master’s words: the harvest was already 
white;” only waiting for the Lord’s servants to gather it into the 
heavenly storehouses. — Sf. Peter and First Years of Christianity. 
By the Abbe Constant Fouard.^ with introduction by Cardinal 
Gibbons. 

Circular Letter of Instructions for the Preservation 
OF Judaism. — In the months of Finland Tisri of the Jewish 
year 5391, which corresponds to September A. D. 1630, an as- 
sembly was convened, consisting of the principal Jews of Great 
and Little Poland, Lithuania and Russia. They met at Jareslow 
in Little Poland, and agreed on the following circular letter to be 
sent to all their brethren. 

Great peace be to all our brethren of the house of Israel. — 
Having received information that many Christians have applied 
themselves with great care, to acquire a knowledge of the lan- 
guage in which our books are written ; we therefore enjoin you, 
under the penalty of the great ban to be inflicted upon such of 
you as shall transgress this our decree, that you do not in any 
new edition of either the Mishna or the Gamara, publish any 
thing relative to Jesus the Nazarene; and that you take especial 
care not to write any thing concerning him, either good or bad, 
so that neither ourselves nor our religion may be exposed to any 
injury ; for we know what those men of Belial have done to us 
when they became Christians, and how their representations have 
obtained credit. Therefore let this make you cautious. If you 
do not pay strict attention to this our letter, but act contrary 
thereto and continue to publish our books in the same manner as 
before, you may occasion, both to us and to yourselves, greater 
afflictions than you have hitherto experienced, and be the means 
of our being compelled to embrace the Christian religion, as we 
were formerly; and thus our latter troubles may be worse than 

34 


530 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the former. — For these reasons we command you, if you publish 
any new edition of those books, let the places relating to Jesus 
the Nazarene be left in blank and fill up the place with a circle 

like this t > . But the Rabbis and teachers of children will 

know how to instruct the youth by word of mouth. Then 
Christians will no longer have any thing to show against us upon 
this subject, and we may expect deliverance from the afflictions 
we have labored under, and may reasonably hope to live in 
peace. 

Written at Jareslaw in presence of the Rabbis; in the year of 
the world 5391.’’ 

This account of this matter is given in a work published at 
Amsterdam in the year 1723, by Christian Meyer, a learned Jew, 
who, after having held the office of a Rabbi at Hamburg, had 
embraced Christianity, and after his conversion lived many years, 
uniformly sustaining an unblemished reputation. 

Meyer proceeds to state that all the copies of the old editions 
(of the Talmud) were carefully concealed, and the new editions 
were printed according to the directions of this circular letter. 
The detection of the omissions, and the consequent preference 
discovered by learned Christians for the old copies, furnished an 
opportunity for a masterpiece of rabbinical fraud. He says: 

At length when the Christians were observed to be more desirous 
of obtaining the former Cracow edition than the latter, the Jews 
thought of a scheme to deceive them, and to gain a great deal 
of money by it. They printed a number of copies on old paper 
and from an old type, resembling the paper and type of the for- 
mer edition ; and put the former date and the same binding. 
The Christians believed the Jews, and purchased them readily 
at a great price ; but there was no more to be found in them 
than in any of the new editions.” 

The passages which Meyer asserts to have been omitted, ap- 
pear to have contained the same accounts which have also been 
exhibited in a separate book, under the title of Toledoth Yeshu, 
purporting to be a history of the birth, life and death of Jesus of 
Nazareth. A writer of the Jewish Repository, vol III, p. 2, as- 
serts, that “ a great number of these passages may be traced in 
a copy of the Talmud, deposited by the learned Selden in the 
Bodleian Library at Oxford, and in which an attempt has been 
made to obliterate them with ink.” By whom these obliterations 
were made or attempted, seems to be a matter of uncertainity. 


APPENDIX. 


531 


A learned Frenchman (^Michael de la Roche^ Memoircs Britaft. 
tom, XIV.^ p. 492, apnd. Schoet^^en, Horce Heb. et Talmud tom. //., 
p. 840) gives the following account : In the public library at 
Oxford there is a copy of the Babylonian Talmud, printed at 
Venice in ten volumes folio, which belonged to Selden. This 
copy had been revised, conformably to the orders of the Inquisi- 
tion, by a Capuchin who has obliterated all the passages relating 
to the Messiah, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles and the Evange- 
lists, and all the places that mention the Roman Empire, which 
the Talmud calls : ‘ The Kingdom of Impiety., or the Impioics 

Kingdom.' These obliterated passages are wholly illegible ; the 
ink has penetrated the paper, so that it is not possible even to 
read the words on the opposite page.” — Mod. Jiid., by John Allen., 
London, 1816. 

Early Christianity Under Rome. — Christianity was re- 
peatedly assailed by Jewish zealots of the “ Saul of Tarsus ” 
type, 

Rome was widely tolerant ; even the idolatries of her prov- 
inces were permissable at Rome itself. But Christianity was 
not a national religion; it was represented and regarded as a 
revolt from national religion. 

Christianity had no sacrifices, nor temples nor statues, etc. ; 
it confined its appeal to the conscience and heart. This position 
was misrepresented and misunderstood, and the Christians were 
ranked with the Atheists ; a class that was particularly hateful 
to Roman ideas. 

A. D, 54-68. Nero. — This emperor desired to attach the 
stigma of his burning Rome, to the Christians. He persecuted 
them, crucified them, cast them to wild beasts in the arena, 
smeared them with pitch, and burnt them as living torches to 
light the public gardens. He began to persecute the Christians 
when he married the dissolute Jewess, Poppea. 

A. I). 81-96. — Domitian persecuted the Christians, and got 
rid of several leading Romans by imputations of Atheism. 

A. D. 98-117. — Trajan’s law against close associations, re- 
newed the troubles of the Christians. 

A. D. 117-138. Hadrian. — Under this emperor, governors 
and mobs harried the Christians with imputy. From Egypt, 
Hadrian wrote: ‘‘There is not a single president of a Jewish 
synagogue, not a single Samaritan, not a single Christian Pres- 


lESAT NASSAU. 


S32 

byter, that is not, at the same time, an astrologer, an interpreted 
of signs, and a quack. 

A. D. 138-161. Antonius Pius. — Various public calamities 
. during this administration kindled the popular fury against Chris- 
tians by representing them as Atheists. 

A. D. 1 61-180 — Aurelius the Stoic instigated a cruel perse- 
cution against the Christians. On the testimony of informers, 
allegations of their Atheism were believed ; they were tortured 
and executed, and the cry was : Christian! ad leones! Cast Chris- 
tians to the lions ! 

A. D. 177. — At Lyons and Vienna, numbers of Christians 
were tortured and beheaded. 

A. D. 193-21 1. — Severus passed a law which forbade con- 
versions to Christianity. 

A. D. 211-217. — Caracalla persecuted the Christians, throw- 
ing them to the wild beasts, pouring boiling pitch on their naked 
bodies, etc. 

A. D. 235-238. — Maximinus persecuted the Christians. 

A. D. 249-251. — Decius introduced the first organized at- 
tempt to obliterate Christianity. A decree ordered all governors 
and magistrates to search for those who rejected the national 
worship. Banishment and confiscation were the lightest punish- 
ments of Christians, their usual fate being prolonged torture. 
The bishops were the first object of attack. In those times the 
clergy took charge of the ecclesiastical records, and if they were 
slain, it became easy for the false teachers to alter and to inter- 
polate and to forge spurious documents, and to substitute them 
for the genuine original records and writings. 

A. D. 251-254. — Callus, during whose reign the populace 
was provoked to fresh fury against the Christians, by pestilence, 
drought and famine being attributed to their agency. 

A. D. 254-260.— Valerian, after a few years toleration, was 
goaded by the statesman Macrianus to revive the persecution. 

In A. D. 257, Christian congregations were prohibited, and 
their pastors exiled. In A. D. 258, came the order for bishops, 
presbyters and deacons to be put to death immediately ; also for 
the rich and noble to be arbitrarily fined, degraded, and, if neces- 
sary, to be killed. 

A. D. 284-31 T. Caesar Galerius and Diocletian, Terrible 
persecution of the Christians, was instituted by Caesar Galerius, 
but usually named after his superior, Diocletian The first im- 


APPENDIX. 


533 


perial edict of A. D. 303 ordered the civil disinfranchisement of 
all Christians; the destruction of their churches and of their 
Scriptures. At first all the clergy and then all Christians were im- 
prisoned and then tortured. A vast number of clergy and laity 
were burnt, roasted, impaled, mutilated and otherwise tortured. 

A. D. 306-337. Constantine the Great first sanctioned Chris- 
tianity in A. D. 313, but without allowing it to win converts, and 
later unconditionally. In A. D. 324 he became sole emperor, and 
proceeded to restore and redress the exiled and plundered Chris- 
tians, and ordered their churches to be rebuilt. 

As a rule, the persecutions were specially directed towards 
the annihilation of the educated and intelligent of the Christians, 
with their records and sacred writings. This had necessarily re- 
sulted in bringing into prominent positions in the Christian 
Church, a large number of illiterate clergy, as well as teachers of 
spurious doctrines which, had been shrewdly calculated, would 
finally obliterate Christianity by their inconsistencies, inaccura- 
cies, and even absurdities. 

The illiterate clergy and false teachers combined, caused tur- 
bulent quarrels and splits into many factions among the Christians. 
Their disputes engendered so much strife, that in A. D. 325, 
Constantine the Great convened the councilof Nicaea, and him- 
self presided over it. About three hundred and eighteen bishops 
from various countries attended with many clergy. 

Sabinus the Bishop of Heraclea affirmed, that excepting Con- 
stantine, himself and Eusebius Amphillus, the members were a 
set of simple illiterate creatures that understood nothing. Pappus, 
in his Synodicon to that Assembly, says : that they promiscuously 
put all the books, which were referred to the council for deter- 
mination, under the communion table in a church, and besought 
the Lord that the inspired writings might get upon the table, 
while the spurious ones remained underneath ; and that it hap- 
pened accordingly. (Probably while they took a recess ) 

Constantine also decreed that all the writings of Arius of 
Alexandria, should be burned. Also that any person who con- 
cealed any writings composed by him, and did not immediately 
produce them and commit them to the flames, should be punished 
with death. — Eccles. Hist, and Pref. of Apocryphal Gospels. 

Christianity and the Moslem Power. — A. D. 638 Egypt 
was conquered by the Moslems. The Khalif Omar destroyed the 


S34 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Library of Alexandria. He said that if these productions of the 
idolaters and atheists agreed with the Moslem Koran in which 
all necessary knowledge was condensed, they were superfluous 
and ought to be destroyed, but if they were contrary to the 
records and faith of Islam there was all the more necessity for 
annihilating them. Consequently the books of the Library were 
all burned ; being used as fuel to heat the city baths for several 
years. So great was the number of ancient manuscripts in the 
Library. Therefore if any of the genuine unadulterated records 
and writings of the Lord Jesus and his contemporary apostles 
and disciples escaped destruction by previous attempts at their 
annihilation, they doubtless perished during that administration. 

Further, between A. D. 1348 and 1354, the Christians, of 
whom great numbers resided in Cairo and throughout Egypt, 
were persecuted and oppressed by the Moslem government and 
their churches closed or demolished . — Secular History , 

A. D. 530-632. Mohomed the founder of Islam said: ^A 
part of the Jews heard the word of God, and then perverted it, 
after they had understood it against their own*‘Conscience. There 
are illiterate men among them, who know not the book of the 
law, but only lying stories, although they think otherwise. And 
woe unto them that transcribe corruptly the book of the law with 
their hands, and then say: ‘ d'his is from God.’ They say: 
The fire of hell shall not touch us but for a certain number of 
days, (forty for the wicked Jews). For a vile price they have sqld 
their souls. They will never wish for death, because of that 
which their hands have sent before them ; that is, by reason of 
the wicked forgeries which they have been guilty of in regard to 
the Scriptures . — The Ko 7 'an. 

Rabbis can alter the Decrees of God as did their An- 
cient Saints. — ‘^The Gamara teaches that when God makes a 
decree, a Talmud khoukham (sage or rabbi) can alter it. It 
says: We see that God commanded that men should be on the 
earth and the angels in heaven. Rut when Moses came he went 
u}) to heaven and God descended to the earth on Mount Sinai 
with the angels. God ordained that angels should not eat, but 
when they came to Abraham they were obliged to eat. — God or- 
dained that men should eat, so Moses went up to heaven 
and did not eat for forty days. — God ordained that there 
should be sea; then came Moses an 4 dried it up. — God com- 


APPENDIX. 


53S 


manded that the day should be day and the night should be 
night; but Jacob came and made day of the night and the day 
be turned into night . — Hamesha Thorah^ Farshe Thesha, 

Transposition of Words &c. by the Rabbis. — The old 
Qabbalists in writing down the secret learning frequently mis- 
placed letters, words, statements, etc. ; the proper position, mean- 
ing, etc. of the same being taught orally to the initiates. 
Qabbalah^ by Isaac Myers, L. L. B. 

The Zend Avesta. — Many interested but necessarily hasty 
readers of the Ze7td Avesta overlook the fact that in the ancient 
documents comprised under that name we have works of many 
different ages : that from leaf t ) leaf matter comes before them 
made up of pieces nearly or quite dissimilar, and sometimes 
separated as to the dates of their authorship by many hundreds 
of years. They are accordingly apt to make themselves merry 
over absurdities which prevail in the later but still genuine Avesta 
as if they were peculiar to the original Zoroastrian writing. It is 
at present intended to call attention to the now undoubted, and 
long since suspected fact, that it pleased the Divine Power to 
reveal some of the most important articles of our Catholic creed 
first to Zoroastrians, and through their literature to the Jews and 
ourselves. Surely the first object of religion, next to the sup- 
pression of unlawful violence or appropriation, should be the 
suppression of inaccurate statement; and to deny, without any 
effort to become an expert, what every expert knows to be the 
truth, is, so it seems to me, to commit a crime in the name of 
Christianity for which Christianity will one day be called to ac- 
count. It is therefore to help the Church against well-furnished 
gainsayers, and to re-establish her character for conscientious in- 
vestigation, that some Christian specialists in Oriantalism have 
given the best years of their lives to save the endeared religion, 
which once inculcated every honorable sentiment, from continu- 
ing herself the victim of that most sinister of equivocations known 
as ‘‘ pious frauds.” 

How then should we handle the question of Zoroastrian in- 
fluence with the Jews ? I would say that any or all of the his- 
torical, doctrinal or hortative statements in the Old or the New 
Testament might, while fervently believed to be inspired by the 
Divine Power, be yet freely traced to other religious systems for 
their mental initiative, that the historical origin of particular doc- 


53 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


trines or ideas which are expressed in the Old or the New Testa- 
ment does not touch the question of their inspiration. Unless we 
are prepared to accede to a docetic heresy doubting the reality 
of our Saviour’s human nature, every sentiment of veneration 
ought to induce us to trace, if it be possible to trace them, not 
only the fountainheads of His human convictions, but the supply- 
ing rills of His expression. If we carefully study the genealogy 
of His body, with how much greater earnestness should we ex- 
amine those of His mind! For, it was His thoughts, humanely 
speaking, and sometimes His earlier ones, which not only con- 
stituted a part of His momentous history, but, of course, also 
actually determined His career. 

The Theologies of Egypt should be also examined as well as 
those of Greece and Rome. From India we have what seem a 
throng of rich analogies from the Buddhist Scriptures. There 
remains the ancient Persian theology and here the historical con- 
nection amounts, at one stage at least, to historical identity and 
is as such, I believe, universally recognized. 

Cyrus the Persian, brought the Jewish people back when they 
had become a captive people and rebuilt the city when it had 
become a heap, and book after book of the Bible dates from the 
reigns of the Persian Kings; while Magian priests who were of 
the religion of Cyrus, came later to do honor to the Son of Mary ; 
and one of the last words uttered by Christ upon the cross was 
from the Persian tongue (Verily, verily I say unto thee, To-day 
shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Luke xxiii. 43). 

That Cyrus was originally, or at heart, a Mazda worshipper. 
The word Mazda ” (strictly ‘‘ dah ”) meaning the Great Creator ” 
or the ‘Great Wise One’ is an especially well adapted name for 
Cod, much more so than our own name for Him, and this rever- 
ing title well expresses the enlightened tone of the book. {Ze?id 
Avesta.) If then, any ancient volume could claim our attention, 
it would seem to be the Sacred Scripture of that great Mazda 
worshipper who, under the providence of God determined the 
later history of the Jewish people. For, had Cyrus the Mazda 
worshipper, not brought the people back, the later prophets 
might not have spoken at Jerusalem, nor might Jesus have been 
born at Bethlehem, nor taught in that region. 

Indeed the influence of the Great Restorer (Cyrus) and his 
successors over the City, was so positive that Jerusalem was, for 
a considerable period after the Return, in many respects a Persian 


APPENDIX. 


537 


City. Some of the most important features of the Pharisaic 
orthodoxy were, under the Providence of God, taught directly or 
indirectly through the Persian influence; the name Pharisee ” 
itself being the equivalent of “Farsee,” a later form of Parsee. 

Whereas much in Zoroastrianism may present the analogies 
of an older but still sister religion, we have, as to one particular, 
what all must acknowledge to be in a special sense a prior rev- 
elation in the Persian Bible. We too little realize how very un- 
certain the doctrine of a future life was in the minds of pious 
Jews, even at the time of our Lord. The Sadducees, as we un- 
derstand, believed in neither angel nor spirit nor resurrection, 
and the Sadducees shared the power with the Pharisees; in fact, 
they seemed to have possessed greater social prestige, and several 
princely high priests were of their clique. If such a state of 
things existed at the time of our Lord, when both the doctrine of 
immortality and that of the resurrection had long been familiar 
as theories, what must have been the condition of opinion on 
these subjects while the influence of the Pentateuch, in which 
these doctrines were not distinctly revealed at all, was as yet not 
affected by the large addition to canonical scripture made 
later? 

Few scientific theologians will deny that the doctrine of im- 
mortality was scarcely mooted before the Captivity, while the 
Zoroastrian Scriptures are one mass of spiritualism, referring all 
results to the heavenly or infernal worlds. Ameretatat — Immor- 
tality — as one of the six personified attributes of the Diety, did 
not represent long life alone, but never-dying life. Resurrec- 
tion seems to be placed after the reception of souls into 
heaven, as if they returned later to a purified earth. In Yasht 
XIX., 83, we have resurrection together with .milennial perfec- 
tions ; ‘‘ We sacrifice unto the Kingly Glory which shall cleave 
unto the victorious Saviour and His companions when He shall 
make the world progress unto perfection, and when it shall be 
never dying, not decaying, never rotting, ever living, ever useful, 
having power to fulfill all wishes, when the dead shall arise, and 
immortal life shall come, when the settlements shall be all death- 
less.” 

Compare these then with statements which appear after the 
return from the captivity, a captivity during which the tribes 
(Jews) had come in contact with a great religion in which the 
passages cited describe a predominant tendency. AVhat do we 


53 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


find in them? First, we have the jubilant hope expressed by 
the later Isaiah : “ Let thy dead live, let my dead body arise. 
Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; For thy dew is as 
the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the shades.” And 
then the full statement in Daniel : And many of them that 
sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting 
life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt.” Arid yet, as 
we have seen above, God’s people had not fully accepted the 
meaning of this language at the time of Christ. We draw the 
inference — the religio7i of the Jews was origmally Saddusaic. 

During the Captivity, the Jews acquired from their Persian 
association, an initiation into hopes of a personal resurrection 
and life beyond the grave ; but the old party terming themselves 
Puritans (?) Sadducees, opposed the growing Zoroastrianism of 
the masses. Yet this latter tendency became concentrated In a 
sect which termed itself, or was termed by its predecessor, 
Pharisees, Farsees, Persians (not dividers, seperatists). 

But the greatest and by far the noblest service which it (Zor- 
oastrianism) rendered, was the propogation of the doctrine that 
virtue is chiefly its own reward even in the great religious reck- 
oning, and vice its own punishment. 

The time is now past, let us hope forever, when the Christian 
apologist recoiled from recognizing the very important services 
which have been rendered to the faith by people foreign to the 
Jews. — Zo7'oaster aTtd the Bible ^ by Rev. J. H. Mills ^ m the Nme- 
tcenth Ce7itury., Ja7i. 18^4. 

In recent times, and largely independently of each other, a 
number of New Testament scholars have reached the conviction 
that the existence of a proto -gospel ( Ureva7igeli7/77i) of an ante- 
canonical record of the life and sayings of the Saviour is the 
Ariadne thread that will safely lead out of this literary labyrinth. 
Undoubtedly the leading advocate of this view is Pastor Alfred 
Resh, who in his Agrapha published some years ago in the 
Harnak-Gebhardt series of Texte U7id UntcrsiuJiMgeTi., came to 
the conclusion, ‘‘ that the recognition of a pre-canonical ground- 
work, as the chief source for the entire canonical literature, opens 
up a perspective which is of a kind that with one stroke will 
solve the most fundamental problems of proto-Christian litera- 
ture.” In the line here indicated, the author has begun the 
publication of a most extended research into this problem in liis 


APPENDIX. 


539 


Aussercano?iische Paralleltexte zu den EvangelienP He claims 
for his researches most positive results. He claims to have dem- 
onstrated that not only the Synoptic Gospels, but also the Apos- 
tle Paul, pre-supposes this extra-canonical gospel, and have 
drawn from this source. It is the most natural thing in the 
world that at that time, when the literary activity of the Jews 
was notoriously great, there should also have been such an activ- 
ity among the representatives of the Christian Church at a time 
and date long preceding our written gospels. It is currently ac- 
cepted, and certainly with good right and reason, that, as only 
a meagre portion of the sayings and doings of our Lord have 
been preserved in our gospels, other sayings and doings not 
here reported could be and were recorded in other literary works. 
Delitzsh and other Talmudists have been of the opinion, that not 
a few of these sayings have found their way into the great legal 
codex of post — biblical Judaism. It is not at all improbable 
that many of these were recorded in such a pre-canonical collec- 
tion and that our own Canonical Gospels, being only a chresto- 
mathy of gospel material, drew largely from such a source. 
Among others who have come to like views is Bohmer. Romer 
maintains the same views, etc . — See Biblical Research in The In- 
dependent^ June 2 2, 1893. 

The Jewish Written and Oral Laws. — The Jews hold 
that the Law was given in a twofold character. There was the 
Torah Shebeketeh^ the law which is in writing; and the Torah 
Shebeal Peh^ the law which is ‘‘ upon the lip” ; or in other words. 
Scripture and Tradition, the written and the Oral Law. 

The oral law the Jews regard with the same veneration as their 
written law ; and holding them both to be of Divine origin, they 
think them equally binding. Indeed, if preference be given to 
either it is to the oral law ; for the written law is considered by 
them in many places obscm'e and defective, and could be no per- 
fect rule to them without the former, which supplies all the de- 
fects, and solves all the difficulties of the written law. For, they 
say, that when God gave Moses the law on Mount Sinai, He gave 
unto him also the interpreration of it, commanding him to commit 
the former to writing ; but to deliver the. other only by word of 
mouth, to be preserved in the memories of men, and to be trans- 
mitted down to them by tradition only from generation to genera- 
tion. Hence the former is called the Written and the other the 
Oral Law. ^ 


540 


JESAT NASSAR. 


This Oral Law was repeated by Moses to Joshua, by Joshua 
to the elders who succeeded him, by the elders to the prophets, 
by the prophets to each other till it came to Jeremiah who de- 
livered it to Baruch, and Baruch to Ezra, by whom it was trans- 
mitted to the men of the Great Synagogue, the last of whom was 
Simon the Just. From Simon the Just it was delivered through 
successive channels, till it arrived at Gamaliel, and by him through 
his children, grand children and great grandchilden to Judah 
Hakkadosh, who wrote it in the book called the Miskna , — a work 
treated by the Jews with the greatest veneration throughout all 
their dispersions. 

The Mishna is divided into six parts, each of which consists 
of separate treatises; every treatise is divided into chapters; and 
every chapter into mishnas or aphorisms. In the first part is dis- 
cussed whatever relates to seeds, fruits and trees. In the second, 
feasts ; in the third, women, their duties, their disorders, marriages, 
divorces, contracts, and nuptials. In the fourth, the damages or 
losses sustained by beasts or men, of things found, deposits, 
usuries, rents, farms partnerships in commerce, inheritance, sales 
and purchases ; oaths, witnesses, arrests, idolatry, — and here are 
named those by whom the oral law was received and preserved. 
In the fifth, sacrilices and holy things. And the sixth, purifica- 
tions, vessels, furniture, clothes, houses, leprosy, baths, and numer- 
ous other articles 

As soon as the Mishna was published it became the subject 
of the studies of learned men. The great scholars of Judea and 
Babylonia enjoyed themselves in writing comments on it; and 
these comments, with the Mishna, make up both the Talmuds — 
the Babylonish Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud. These com- 
ments are called the Gamara or the Complement; because by 
them the Mishna is fully explained, and the whole traditionary 
doctrine of the Jewish law completed. In these two Talmuds the 
whole doctrines of the Hebrew faith are contained. No orthodox 
Jew can be a Rabbi who is not well versed in the text of the 
Mishna, and in its Complement the Gamara. Maimonides, the 
greatest rabbi of the Jews has made a digest from the Talmud of 
all the resolutions and determinations arrived at on every case. 
The digest is called Yad Hachazakah or the Strong Hand (also 
Rending Hand), and is regarded as the authority on the subject. 

Within the last few years, certain writers, whose proclivities 
are certainly far more Jewish than Christian^ have done all in 


APPENDIX. 


£4t 

their power, by exaggerated praises and favorably rendered ex- 
tracts to prove that the religious and moral tone of the Talmud is 
quite equal to the Holy Scriptures. And among them no one 
stands higher than the learned and brilliant reviewer who, some 
years ago, took the reading world by storm, by the celebrated, 
“ What is the Talmud ? ” article in the Qiiarterly Review. Not- 
withstanding its vacillating style, and its sentences which no true 
Jew could have penned, that famous essay on the Talmud inter- 
ested both Jew and Christian alike. The Jews were delighted at 
such a powerful and scholarly article appearing in a well-known 
Christian publication, to vindicate the reputation of a work for 
which they had the highest veneration. The Karaite Jews who 
for the last twelve hundred years have rejected the Talmud as a 
useless and fabulous work, read it with avidity, and some even 
paused to reflect whether they had done rightly in ignoring so 
holy and noble a book. Among the reformed Jews in Germany, 
in France, in England the effect of that wondrous review was not 
a whit the less. It was translated into every European language, 
it was read by every one, and charmed and instructed all. Hardly 
a voice was raised against it in dissent. Even Christians rejoiced 
that Judaism had so pure and religious a work as a lamp to their 
feet and a light to their paths. 

And yet the Talmud does not deserve this praise. Its stories 
are childish, ignorant and superstitious; its principles are often 
coarse, false and debasing, and its impurity in many parts is as 
obscene as the sixth satire of Juvenal, or comedy of Aristophanes. 
A work must indeed be bad which does not admit of some good 
sayings and pious sentences being culled from its pages, when 
those pages number two thousand, nine hundred and forty-seven 
folio leaves. And this is what the reviewer has done. He has 
collected a mass of elegant extracts, some of which have been 
slightly garbled ; and these he has placed before the world as 
honest and fair specimens of the contents of the Talmud. 

I cannot better criticise the Talmud than by giving a few of the 
objections urged by the late Dr. McCaul against the nature of its 
contents in his his examination of Judaism called the Old Paths.” 

The Talmud loosens all moral obligations. It teaches men 
how to evade the Divine commandments, it allows dispensations 
from oaths, permits men to retain what they know does not be- 
long to them if it only belongs to a Gentile, and sanctions the 
murder of the unlearned. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


St2 


‘^The Talmud teaches that external acts — the washing of 
hands, the external sanctification of the Sabbath, circumcision, 
etc., — are sufficient to save the wicked from the just punishment 
of their misdeeds. — The Talmud awards sentence of death for the 
transgression of rabbinic commands respecting the Sabbath, and 
flogging for the most trifling oflences. 

It degrades the female sex, by permitting polygamy, by per- 
mitting divorce on the most trifling pretexts, by declaring women 
incompetent to give evidence, by excluding them from the pub- 
lic worship of God, and by teaching that they are under no obliga- 
tion to learn the revealed will of their Creator. 

It oppresses and insults slaves by forbidding them to be in- 
structed in the law, and by placing them, when dead, on a level 
with brutes. 

It is a persecuting and intolerant system. It gives every 
Rabbi the power of excommunicating the Jews, and it com- 
mands THE CONVERSION OF ALL THE GeNTILE NATIONS BY THE 
SWORD. 

‘‘IT FORBIDS THE EXERCISE OF THE COMMONEST FEELINGS OF 
HUMANITY TO THOSE WHOM IT CALLS IDOLATORS. IT WILL NOT 
PERMIT A DROWNING IDOLATOR TO BE HELPED, NOR A PERISH- 
ING IDOLATOR TO BE RESCUED, NOR AN IDOLATROUS WOMAN IN 
TRAVAIL TO BE DELIVERED. (AlL CHRISTIANS ARE COUNTED AS 
IDOLATORS OF THE GaLILEAN : ‘AVOYDI GaLOULIM.’) 

“ It teaches that Gentiles are not commanded to love 
God, and breaks up all the happiness of domestic life by 
asserting that among Gentiles there is no such thing as 
MARRIAGE.” — The Home and Synagogue, The Religious Tract 
Society of London^ England. 

Teachings of Jesus Not Derived From the Rabbit. — 
We can recommend nothing better, to those who have heard 
that the teaching of the New Testament has been derived from 
that of the Rabbis, than to collate the revolting details on this 
subject (phylacteries) as well as those connected with prayer in 
Ber. 2y a to 2y b; or else to study their interpretation of dreams, 
or such details as Ber. 62 a, b . — To those who have been told that 
Hillel might be compared with Jesus, we recommend the perusal 
of what at times engaged that great Jewish Rabbi’s teachings; 
for example, in Ber, 2j, a, etc. — Edershehd s Sketches of Jewish 
Social Life. 


Appendix. 


S43 


There seems indeed good reason to believe that Rabbinic 
Judaism, when driven by the forces of Christianity into the 
straits of a defensive position, forged as one of her last weapons 
the authority of Moses as the writer of all the books of the law, 
and that the Church which had at first accepted from the 
Synagogue Moses as the great lawgiver, accepted from the Tal- 
mud Moses as the infallable scribe. — 0 /d Testament Criticismy 
Quarterly Review^ Aprils 1094. 


NAZARETH. 

Which was spoken by the prophets, that He shall be called a Nazarene. 
— Matt. ii. 

The name Nazareth may best be regarded as watch ” or 
“ watcheress.” The name does not occur in the Talmud, nor in 
those Midrashim which have been preserved. But the elegy of 
Eleazar ha Kallir — written before the close of the Talmud — in 
which Nazareth is mentioned as a priest-centre is based upon an an- 
cient Midrash now lost. [Comp. Neiibauer Geogr. du Talmud^ p. 
1 17, Note 5.) It is, however, possible as M. Neubauer suggests 
[U. S. p. 190, note 5) that the name in Mi dr. on Eccl. wV., 8, 
should read Netzeranoo, and refers to Nazareth. Edersheim’s 
Life of Jesus, vol. I. — The Biblical name Chinnereth or Chin- 
neroth [Numb, xxxiv., ii) is derived by the rabbis from, harp 
[ekinnor) and its post-biblical form Genessar is represented as 
extracted from gener sarim, gardens of the princes. — Edersheim'^ 
Jewish Social Life. 

Who was Mary the Mother of Jesus ? — In those days and 
at that time, will I cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up 
unto David, and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in 
the land [Jer. xxxiii.). All these things the Infidels (/. e., Chris- 
tians) interpret to mean Jesus. We answer: Was judgment and 
righteousness more flourishing in the days of Jesus than it was 
before his time ? — Also : For thus saith the Lord : David shall 
never lack a man to sit upon the throne of Israel ” (Jer. xxxiii.). 
Here the Scripture speaks of a man. As a man Jesus did not 
govern, nor reign, nor sit on the throne of Israel. — Liber Nizza-, 
chon Vetvs Avtoris Lncognita. Tela Lgnea Wagenseilvs. 


S44 


lESAT NASSAR. 


The Talmud expressly lays it down, that whosoever targums 
(interprets) a verse (of Scripture) in its closely literal form, with- 
out due regard to its meaning, is a liar. — Edersheini' s Life of 
Jesus ^ vol. I. 

Therefore, who shall declare his generation ? And his life, 
who shall recount? For he was cut off out of the land of the 
living. — Isaiah^ new ver. 

The Rabbis and Trades. — Rabbi Nehorai said: I let 
alone every trade of this world and teach my son nothing but tlie 
Thorah (Pentateuch) for if a man eats of the fruit of it in this 
world, as it were, lives upon earth on the interest, while the 
capital remaineth for the world to come. But what is left over 
in every trade is not so. For if a man falls into ill health, or 
come to old age or into trouble, and is no longer able to stick to 
his work, lo ! he dies of hunger. — Edersheim'' s Jewish Social Life. 

Among the mountains of Galilee, on a platform of about i,ooo 
feet from the fruitful plain of Esdraleon and on the slope of one 
of the hills which enclose a hollow or valley, is situated the 
country town of Nazareth. This vale or basin among the hills 
is about a mile long, half a mile wide, and is well cultivated. 

The top of the high hill behind Nazareth commands one of 
the most beautiful and extensive views of Palestine. Northward 
the varied picturesque scenery as far as the snow crested Her- 
mon. Eastward across the rich green plain, the silver line of the 
Kishon, the Lake of Gennesereth and the River Jordan to the 
Mountains of Gilead lying beyond. Southward over Samaria ; 
while in the west the view is bounded by the beautiful Bay of 
Acca and the ridge of Mount Carmel running out to the 
Mediterranean Sea. 

Nazareth became historically valuable, ennobled and endeared, 
by the fact of its having been, for some years, the reputed home 
of our Lord. 

The name Nazareth is not mentioned either in the Old Testa- 
ment records, or Josephus. Many eminent writers and explorers, 
believe Nazareth to be identical with Sarid or Ain Sarid spoken of 
in the book of Joshua as marking the northern boundary of Zebu- 
Ion. But in this age of research and excavation, speculation 
may any day be reduced to certainty, by the discovery of ancient 
remains or inscriptions. It is at the same time probable, that 
whatever may have been its original name, this town received its 


APPENDIX. 


54S 


name of Nassarah or Nazarat from its chief inhabitants. In the 
course of time, the old name falling into disuse would be for- 
gotten. It is entirely in accordance with Oriental usage that 
names of localities, families and individuals, should become 
changed because of some special event connected with them ; or 
on account of the profession or status of the inhabitants. 

The history of Palestine as a pastoral country, is almost a 
total blank from B. C. 741, when Tiglath-Pal-Assar, king of As- 
syria, carried off the rural population which lived beyond Jordan; 
as also those out of the territory ceded to the tribes of Zebulon 
and Naphtali. The first dispersion of the Israelite Confederacy 
was by no means brought about by a single removal, but the 
period of deportation from first to last occupied about 150 years. 
It was not until B. C. 588 that Nebuchadnassar broke up the 
Jewish kingdom and destroyed their citadel treasury apd sanctu- 
ary, the Temple. The period of return also reached through 
about 100 years; beginning under Cyrus B. C. 536, and com- 
pleted by Ezra under Artexerxes Longimanus, B. C. 458. 

The upper portion of Galilee, having been settled by Assyri- 
ans and Persians was known as : Galel Haggoyim,’^ i. e., illus- 
trious, powerful circle of the Gentiles; and for this reason, the 
Judean priests and Pharisees said: Out of Galilee ariseth no 
prophet, i. e., none that would suit Judaism. Galilee of the 
Gentiles had Caeserea Philippi for its principal city and its im- 
portant towns were Tiberius, Khorazin, Bethsaida, Nazareth, 
Cana, Capernaum, Nain, Caeserea and Ptolomais. It was this 
district which, according to New Testament records, was most 
favored with the presence of our great Master during the years 
of his public ministry. 

Although Nazareth was situated in an enclosure of the Galilean 
hills, it was by no means an isolated or lonely place. The great 
caravan route from Acca on the Sea to Damascus was divided 
into three roads. One of these, the via Maris, led through Naz- 
areth. Consequently men of all nationalities and creeds from 
the then known world traded with the Mediterranean ports, 
Arabia and India, passed constantly through Nazareth. News 
of all events would by such means be brought, associations 
formed, and influences brought to bear from the outside world 
by this constant intercourse, which must have strongly colored 
and formed the lives and characters of the natives and residents 
of Nazareth. At the same period of time, the town was one of 

35 


54 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the great centres of Jewish Temple life. The priesthood, ac- 
cording to Josephus, was divided into four courses; each of 
which contained about five thousand men. These all ministered 
in turn in the Temple at Jerusalem. Nazareth was one of the 
centres where a number of priests would congregate from upper 
Galilee and the surrounding towns and villages before proceed- 
ing to the Holy City to perform their service. I'hus the men 
who formulated dogmas and doctrines of Judaism as well as 
those who carried on the traffic of the world, alike passed through 
Nazareth and left their impress on its inhabitants. 

Josephus describes this portion of the country as land “whose 
soil is so fruitful that all sorts of trees can grow upon it, and the 
inhabitants can raise all kinds upon it. The temper of the air is 
so well mixed that it agrees very well with all sorts of fruit. Wal- 
nuts which need cold air flourish there in vast plenty. There are 
palm trees also which grow best in hot air ; fig and olive trees 
near them, which require an air that is more temperate. One 
may call this place the ambition of nature where it forces those 
plants that are natural enemies to one another, to grow together. 
It is a happy contention of the seasons, as if every one of them 
laid claim to this country; for it not only nourishes different au- 
tumnal fruits beyond men's expectations, but preserves them a 
great while. It supplies men with the principal fruits, with 
grapes and figs continually during ten months of the year, and 
the rest of the fruits as they become ripe through the wffiole year. 
Besides the good temperature of the air, it is also watered from 
a most fertile fountain." 

This region evidently was utilized for fruit-raising, and named 
Gen Nassarat, which signifies Gardens or Orchards of the Princes. 
The Assyrian, Babylonian and Chaldaean title for a prince and 
ruler was Nassar. Therefore, if the Assyrian princes did not al- 
ways own or retain that region of Galilee, for the Israelites never 
entirely held Palestine, was it not most probable, that when the 
Assyrian Kings deported the tribes of the Israelite Confederacy 
from that part of the country, they should reserve the fruitful re- 
gion as private property for the royal families, and that some of 
the Assyrian and Persian princes should settle on it with a num- 
ber of their retainers. Thus the region would become known as 
Gen- Nassarat or Gardens of the Princes. Also the Arabic or 
Aramaic word Nazarat signifies : superintendency, administra- 
tion. Nasr, victory and eagle. Nasir, a defender, and Nashar^ 
to promulgate. 


APPENDIX. 


547 


The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah according to Old Testa- 
ment records, foretold : Behold the days come, saith the Lord, 
that I will cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up. And the 
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him ; the spirit of understanding, 
the spirit of counsel and of might, the spirit of knowledge and of 
the fear of the Lord. He shall be quick of understanding and 
he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after 
the hearing of his ears. But with righteousness shall he judge 
the poor, and reprove with equity, and faithfulness shall be the 
girdle of his loins.” 

I'he rendering Branch of Righteousness ” is meaningless, 
when taken in connection with the character of the person spoken 
of. But when the fact is taken into consideration that the lan- 
guage known as Hebrew, was a dialect of the Aramaic with a 
large admixture of Hindoo, Egyptian, Greek, Latin and other 
Aryan tongues, it becomes comprehensive how the words Nassar 
and Nazir, mispronounced as Netzer, would in the Jewish mind, 
being associated with the Agricultural lords of the country, be- 
come a synonym for Branch and Rod. Further, since the Arabic 
or Aramaic word Aaber, Aabrani [i. e., Hebrew), signifies an 
immigrant, it seems to prove that the oiiginal home of that race 
was not in the land of the Aramaic language. 

Evidently, therefore, the original prophecy spoke of a 
“ Prince or Promulgator of Righteousness ” and not at all a 
Branch ; viz. : Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I 
will cause a Prince and Promulgator of Righteousness to grow 
up ” etc., is much more likely to have been the original prophecy 
that existed among the eaily Aryans and had been adopted by 
the Plebrews, before or during the Dispersion. 

Accept the rendering as we will, the indisputable and un- 
changeable fact remains ; that our Lord Jesus Nassar, or Nazar- 
ene, was the holiest and greatest Prince and Prommlgator of 
Righteousness the world has ever seen or will see, and the only 
one whose character is perfectly portrayed by the description of 
the prophecy. 

Whether the people of the Hebrew Confederacy ever engaged 
in agricultural pursuits to any extent before the Babylonian Dis- 
persion, or kept the original proprietors to do that work, as in 
their arrangement with the Gideoniies and other tribes, is not 
easy now to determine. But it is very certain that during the Dis- 
persion, the Hebrew mind was taught to regard agricultural and 
all Other labor as contemptible, 


548 


lESAT NASSAR. 


They taught that: The wisdom of a wise man cometh by 
opportunity of leisure, and he that hath little labor shall become 
wise. — How can he get wisdom that holdeth the plow and that 
glorieth in the goad: that driveth oxen and is occupied in their 
labors, and whose talk is of bullocks. — He giveth his mind to 
make furrows, and is diligent to give the kine fodder. — So is 
every carpenter and work master that laboreth night and day : 
the smidi also that sitteth by the anvil. So doth the potter sitting 
at his work. — All these shall not dwell where they will, nor go 
up and down. — They shall not be sought for in public counsel, 
nor sit high in the congregation : they shall not sit in the Judge’s 
seat, nor understand the sentence of judgment : they cannot de- 
clare justice and judgment, and they shall not be found where 
parables are spoken. 

The Rabbis also taught that God Himself spends eight hours 
of each day studying the Hebrew laws, and at night occupies his 
time in learning the Mishna, which is the commentaries and in- 
terpretations of the Pentateuch by the Rabbis. Therefore the 
Judaen Pharisees said of the people who were not students of 
these commentaries : This people which knoweth not the law are 
accursed. 

In the Pentateuch version of the fall of man, agricultural and 
all other labor is represented as a curse and punishment inflicted 
on the human race ; while on the other hand, for a minute ob- 
servance of petty ceremonial laws, the tribes of Hebrews were to 
be rewarded with great and goodly cities which they builded not, 
houses full of good things which they filled not, wells which they 
digged not, vineyards and olive trees which they planted not, and 
they were to eat and get full, without having labored for any of 
those things. 

In view of such doctrines, the meaning of Nathaneal’s ques- 
tion becomes very plain. “ Can any good thing come out of 
Nazareth?” How could it beat all possible that a Hebrew 
Messiah should be produced by a town or a district, whose popu- 
lation was principally Gentile and agricultural. 

The Jewish Messiah would be a political king ; but not neces- 
sarily of Hebrew race. ‘‘ Son of David ” was simply a title in- 
tended to convey the knowledge that he was to be David’s Son 
in spirit and character. David and his son Solomon united and 
strengthened the Israelite Confederacy into a kingdom that was 
acknowledged to have certain status among the neighboring 


APPENDIX. 


549 


nations. But the Messiah was to obtain for Judaism such uni- 
versal and absolute control over the nations of the earth, that all 
non-Jews would be portioned off for slaves and servants at the 
rate of 2,800 Gentiles to each Hebrew. Also the nation or king- 
dom which should decline to serve Israel in such capacity would 
be utterly wasted and perish. 

The Talmud says : ^’At that time Messiah shall reign over 
the celestials and terrestials ; and the evil spirits and devils will 
trouble the nations, with the permission of the Son of David, as \ 
was the case of Solomon with Hiram, King of Tyre, to whom he 
sent a certain devil (agents), and made him to go down to the seven 
habitations of hell, until he consented to him, and complied with 
him, and as he also did with the Queen of Sheba. By reason of 
the STRONG TERROR of Messiah, all nations will come and take 
hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, by reason of the merit of 
the fringes which are in the talith ; and the nations will hold it, 
in order that they may have protection from the destroying 
ANGELS and the evil spirits.’’ Whosoever performs the precepts 
of fringes is privileged to be served by 2,800 servants; for it is 
said, ‘ In those days it shall come to pass that ten men (congre- 
gation or the religious elements) shall take hold, out of all 
the languages of the nation, even shall take hold of the skirt 
of him that is a Jew, saying: we will go with you; for we 
have heard that God is wdth you.’ Now there are seventy 
nations; ten men out of every nation amount to 700 on one 
corner, and therefore on four corners to 2,800.” 

From sire to son they’re taught to entertain this hope illusory and vain. 


CONDITION OF THE JEWS AT THE TIME OF JESUS. 

Thus saith the Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews: Thou 
shalt be plenteous in the fruit of the belly, and thy seed shall in- 
herit the Gentiles. Ye shall possess greater nations and mightier 
than yourselves. Every place whereon the soles of your feet 
shall tread, shall be yours. — Josh. /., Dent, xi., xxx., Ex. m., v.., vii., 
zx., X. 

Ye shall lend unto many nations, and unto the stranger thou 
mayest lend upon usury. [Deut. xv.y xxiii.) Ye shall not eat of 


lESAT NASSAR. 


55C» 

anything that dieth of itself, but ye shall give it unto the stranger 
that is within thy gates ” (convert to Judaism) ‘‘ that he may eat 
it : or thou mayest sell it to the aliens, ’’(Gentile). — Deut, xiv. 

The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the 
Sabeans, men of stature, shall be thine. And Chaldea shall be 
for a spoil. And ye shall spoil the Egyptians. And Judah and 
Ephraim shall fly down upon the shoulders of the Philistines on 
the West, and together shall they spoil the children of the East. 
And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles as a lion 
among the beasts of the forests; as a young lion among a flock 
of sheep, who, if he go through, both treadeth down and teareth 
in pieces, and none can deliver. — Isa. xix., /. Ezek, Hi. Isa. xi. 
Mic. V. 

Palestine in the times of Jesus. — Properly to under- 
stand the history and the circumstances indicated in the New 
Testament, a correct view of the state of parties in this respect 
is necessary. And here we must guard against a not unnatural 
mistake. — If any one had expected to find within the boundaries 
of the land (Palestine) itself, one nationality, one language, the 
same interests, or even one religion professed, he would have 
been utterly disappointed. 

It was not merely for the presence of the Romans and their 
followers, and of a more or less influential number of foreign set- 
tlers, but the Holy Land itself was a country of mixed and hos- 
tile races, of divided interests, where, close by the punctilious 
Pharisaism, heathen temples rose and heathen rites and customs 
openly prevailed. 

In the far northeast of the land were the provinces belonging 
to the Tetrarch Philip. These districts had been peopled by 
wild predatory nomads. Herod the Great had indeed settled 
among them a large number of Jewish and Idumean colonists, 
the former brought from Babylon and attracted by immunity 
from taxation. But the vast majority of the people were still Sy- 
rians and Grecians and Heathen. — Caesarea Philippi was the 
city devoted to Pan. Herod the Great had built there a temple 
to Augustus. Recent researches have everywhere brought to 
light relics of the worship of the Phoenician Astarte, of the an- 
cient Syrian God of the Sun and even of the Egyptian side by 
side with that of the well-known Grecian deities. — The same 
may be said of Damascus, the territory of which formed here. 


APPENDIX. 


55 ^ 


the extreme boundary of Palestine. — Passing from the eastern to 
the western bounds of Palestine, we find that in Tyre and Ptolo- 
mais, Phrygian, Egyptian, Phcenician and Greek rites contended 
for the mastery. — In the centre of Palestine, the very name of 
the Samaritan capital, Sebaste, showed how thoroughly Grecian- 
ized was that province, and there can be no doubt that as the 
Greek language so Grecian rites prevailed. — Another outlying 
district, the Decapolis, was almost entirely Grecian in constitu- 
tion, language and worship. It was, in fact, a federation of ten 
heathen cities possessing a government of its own. — The north- 
eastern or Upper Galilee was in great part inhabited by Gentiles 
— whence the name “ Galilee of the Gentiles.” — It is strange in 
how many of those cities with winch we are familiar from the 
New Testament, the heathen element prevailed. Tiberius, 
which gave its name to the Lake was originally chiefly un-Jew- 
ish. Gaza had its local deity; Ascalon worshipped Astarte ; 
Joppa was the locality where they still showed the marks of the 
chains by which Andromeda is said to have been held. — Caesarea 
w'as an essentially heathen city though inhabited by many Jews. 
To a Jew Caesarea was the symbol of Rome, Rome of Edom 
(Edom of all Gentiles) — and Edom was to be destroyed. In 
fact in their view Jerusalem and Caesarea could not really co- 
exist. “ If you are told that Jerusalem and Caesarea are both 
standing, or that they are both destroyed, believe it not; but if 
you are told that one of them is destroyed and the other stand- 
ing, then believe it.” [Gift i6, a. Meg. 6, a.) 

Greek was spoken and understood by all the educated 
classes in the country. — The language of Israel had undergone a 
change. The ancient Hebrew had given place to the Aramaen 
dialect except in public worship and in the academies of the 
theological doctors. The Mishna itself contains a very large 
number of Greek and Latin words with Hebraic terminations. — 
Along with the Hebraic — Aramaen the Greek had for some time 
been making its way among the people. 

The Rabbis considered as the land of Israel proper, that com- 
mencing immediately south of Antioch. Thus the city where 
the first Gentile Church was formed, where the disciples were 
first called Christians, where Paul so long exercised his ministry 
and whence he started on his missionary journeys, was, signifi- 
cantly enough, just outside of the Land of Israel. Immediately 
beyond it lay the country over which the Rabbis claimed entire 


552 lESAT NASSAR. ^ 

sway. — It was chiefly a heathen district where the Saviour spoke 
the word of healing. Indeed not only that district but all around 
and farther on, the territory of Philip was almost entirely heathen. 
Strange as it may sound, all around the districts inhabited by the 
Jews the country was fringed by foreign nationalties, and by 
heathen worship, rites and customs. 

And what of Judaism itself at that period? The Pharisees 
and Sadducees held opposite principles and hated each other, 
and the Essenes looked down upon them both. There was only 
one feeling common to all (Jews), high and low, rich and poor, 
learned and unlettered ; it was that of intense hatred to the for- 
eigners (Gentiles). — Three days before a heathen festival all 
transactions with Gentiles were forbidden, so as to aflbrd them 
neither direct nor indirect help toward their rites ; and this pro- 
hibition extended even to private festivals, such as a birthday, 
the day for a return journey, etc. — On heathen festival occasions 
a pious Jew should avoid, if possible, passing through a heathen 
city, and certainly all dealings in shops that were festively dec- 
orated. — A Jewess was forbidden to give help to her heathen 
neighbor when about to become a mother. [Avod. S. //., i.) If 
a heathen were invited to a Jewish house he might not be left 
alone in the room, else every article for food or drink on the ta- 
ble was henceforth to be regarded as unclean. — Edersheini' s Jew- 
ish Social Life, 

The chosen people abroad.— At the time of our Lord’s 
sojourn upon our Earth, there was no nation which had not 
among them, part of the Hebrew people. It was not easy to find 
any place in the world which had not admitted this race, and 
was not speedily possessed by it. 

During the centuries which had elapsed since the beginning 
of the Babylonian Dispersion, the Hebrews had spread north- 
wards through Armenia to the Caucasus and the shores of the 
Black Sea, and through IMedia to those of the Caspian. South- 
ward to the Persian Gulf and through the vast extent of Arabia, 
and eastwards as for as India. They abounded in the then set- 
tled portions of Africa and were almost innumerable in Egypt, 
while numbers were also found in all the cities of Europe. 

It was money transactions and trade which procured the 
Hebrews wealth and influence. Arab caravans carried their mer- 
chandise from the East through. Palestine to the Phoenician 


APPENDIX. 


553 


ports, where fleets of ships, owned by Hebrew traders and worked 
by Gentile sailors, lay ready to convey the wares to every 
part of the world. The Hebrew traders and bankers were keenly 
alive to all that passed, not only in the financial, but also in the 
political world. They obtained possession of State secrets and 
secured such positions in the civil and military service of the 
Gentile nations, as should enable them to manipulate the intri- 
cacies of diplomacy to further Hebrew interests. For, whatever 
their condition, the Hebrews throughout the world were intensely 
and solely Hebraic. 

To entertain strangers who were their co-religionists was not 
merely a virtue, but a necessity to the existence of Judaism, for 
by such means communications of all kinds were made safe and 
easy. The Jerusalemites had special agents and correspondents 
in the most distant parts of the world, and letters were carried 
by Hebrew messengers and peddlers. Those that went from 
Jerusalem were especially keen and politic, as they were entrusted 
with the mission of keeping all Hebrews awake to the realization 
of a living connection with the centralization of their power in 
the citadel Temple and its priests. Fortunes were spent for the 
support and advance of the Hebrew cause, but the money thus 
given was regarded as an excellent investment which never 
failed to multiply itself a thousand fold. Those men who hailed 
from Jerusalem were received and spoken of as heavenly mes- 
sengers and angels of the Lord. Thus the Hebrews throughout 
the world were reached and kept in close connection with the 
Rabbinical hierarchy of Judea, the headquarters of the great 
Israelite Alliance of that age. 

In Egypt, more than an eighth of the population was Hebraic. 
Alexander the Great had granted them exceptional privileges ; the 
special quarter of the Delta by the Eastern harbor of the Cano- 
pus had been assigned to them an account of its convenience for 
commercial purposes, the export trade was all in their hands, and 
harbor and river police entirely at their disposal and under their 
control and orders. Besides this, the Hebrews of Egypt were 
under the rule of a Governor of their own, whose authority was 
similar to that of an Archon or Chief Ruler of independent cities. 
These privileges which the Ptolemies had conferred upon them 
were, not only confirmed, but were enlarged by Julius Caesar and 
his successors. 

Their synagogues, surrounded by shady trees, stood in all 


SS4 


lESAT NASSAR. 


parts of Alexandria. But the great pride of the Jewish Com- 
munity of Egypt was the great central synagogue. This was so 
large that it needed a signal for those most distant to know the 
proper moment for responses. In the choir stood seventy chairs 
of gold encrusted with precious gems for the seventy elders or 
Sanhedrim, who constituted the Hebraic tribunal of Alexandria. 

In Antioch, the seat of the Greek learning and culture, the 
Hebrews dwelt in great multitudes, as the city was large and 
flourishing. They had a magnificent synagogue, to which the 
successors of Antiochus Epiphanes had given the spoils that he 
had taken from Jerusalem. They enjoyed equal rights with the 
Greeks as citizens and extra privileges as Hebrews. For, by the 
Macedonians and also by the Romans they were allowed to have 
an Ethnarch or Governor of their own, who was exempt from the 
jurisdiction of the civil Governors. 

Everywhere throughout the world the Hebrews had their own 
rulers, and in most cities they possessed threefold advantages. 
They were allowed the status of Rornans, the rights of Asiatic 
citizens, and the extraordinary special privileges they exacted 
under the plea of having been enjoined by the Deity to do so. 
The status of Romans entitled them to a civil government of their 
own, quite independent of the rule of the tribunals of the cities 
in which they lived. But at the time they were exempted from 
judgment by Gentile laws of the lands in which they lived, the 
Hebrews were entitled to all the rights of their Gentile fellow 
citizens. Everywhere they exacted and enjoyed such unlimited 
and aggressive religious liberties and privileges as were denied 
to the native citizens. The Gentile potentates further continually 
granted large donations and appropriations to the synagogues of 
the Hebrews in their dominions as well as to the Temple at 
Jerusalem; which, with the vast amounts of annual Temple 
tribute money and other contributions, was conveyed to their des- 
tination under the escort of thousands of armed Gentiles. 

The special importance of the Hebrew community at Rome, 
lay in its nearness to the seat of the government of the world. 
There they could watch and influence every movement and lend 
support to the compact Hebrew body which, however scattered, 
was one in thought, purpose, practice and pursuit of the same 
object and had the same end in view. But it was just between 
the Euphrates and the Tigris that the largest and wealthiest 
settlements of Hebrews were to such an extent, that the leaders 


APPENDIX. 555 

of Judaism designated that portion of the country, as well as 
Syria, as forming part of the ‘‘ Land of Israel.’^ 

The Hebrews never took any interest in the causes that gave 
Gentile cities greatness, attractiveness and fame. Their sole ob- 
ject was to profit by all labor of other nations that could bring 
wealth or glory to Israel, to accomplish which, they sought and 
secured such protection and privileges as enabled them to trans 
fer the gold, silver and precious gems of the nations into the coffers 
of Judaism. 

On the Sabbath and other holidays, they obtruded themselves 
upon the nations among whom they dwelt, not only by closed 
stores, and moving idly about in gorgeous attire, but also by the 
display of marked contempt and abhorrence of everything and 
every body around them. There was also that arrogance about 
their whole bearing which expressed the unspoken feeling that 
the time for the fall of the Gentiles was at hand ; as also that of 
their own absolute supremacy. 

They isolated themselves from the people among whom they 
dwelt and treated their religious beliefs with blasphemous mockery. 
Their claim to have been selected by their Deity to subjugate and 
despoil the rest of the human race, was more than provocative to 
the nations because the Hebrews succeeded in securing capital 
everywhere, and consequent prosperity. The native population 
began to question why this people, who were a close foreign cor- 
poration, should possess every civic right and yet be free from the 
burdens of the State. Why should Hebrews alone be allowed to 
export so much of the national wealth in precious metals and 
gems, and lock it up in their citadel Temple of Jerusalem under 
the plea of religious dedication? Consequently occasional at- 
tempts were made, by some of the citizens of a State, to deprive 
Hebrews of the extraordinary immunities they enjoyed. But all 
such attempts proved futile, for the Hebrews found powerful sup- 
porters among the Court favorites and dissolute women like Poppea, 
the wife of Nero. 

Further, there was no law to prevent the spread of Judaism. 
On the contrary, all the exceptional privileges continually granted 
its professors by Assyrian, Persian, Macedonian, Egyptian and 
Roman kings and emperors, must have been a great inducement 
to peoples of other faiths to embrace that creed. Besides it was 
one of their most important policies to convert, secretly to Juda- 
ism, the wives and female relatives of men of power, influence and 


lESAT NASSAR. 


55 ^ 

wealth I because through such women they could bend the men 
to further the interests of Israel. St. Paul describes those pros- 
elytizers thus : Of this sort are they which creep into houses and 
lead captive silly women. — EdersheM s Life of Jesus. Abbe Con- 
stant Fouard^s St. Feter., etc.., etc. 


\ 


THE DESIRE OF THE GENTILES, 


A Light of the Gentiles {Isa. xi. 6). The Desire of all Nations 
shall come {Hag. ii. j). 

From the Sacred Book of the Iranians let us trace the nature 
of the Deity. Ahura Mazda, the Living Lord, the Great Creator, 
(or possibly the Wise One) has a most Bountiful or most Holy 
Spirit, which is sometimes identical with Him. 'I'he seven 
bountiful or holy Immortals are, from the second to the seventh, 
personified thoughts sent forth from the mind of God to ennoble 
and redeem His people. In Yasht xix. 92, we read that Astva- 
tereta, the Saviour of the Restoration, will arise from the waters 
of Kiisava, the all conquering, knowing the victorious knowledge 
which will make the world progress unto perfection. — Zoroaster 
and the Bible, by the Rev. Dr. L. U. Mills. 

To comprehend intelligently the history of the Christian 
Faith it is necessary to study and bear in mind the origin and 
characteristics of the various pure, as also the mixed races, 
whose influence acted and reacted on each other’s religious be- 
liefs. 

The Aryan is the name now generally used to denote that 
division of the human race that is white or fair. To it belong 
the Teuton, Saxon, Scandinavian, Slavonic, Latin, Macedonian 
or Greek nations of Europe; and the Persian, Mede, Parthian, 
Armenian and other Assyrian nations of Asia. The word Aryan 
is derived from the Persian Aria and Iran, which means land of 
the Children of Light. 

There was a time, long before the beginning of recorded his- 
tory, when the forefathers of the various Aryans lived together as 
one people speaking the same language. They lived a civil’ized 
family and social life, builded hous^es, cultivated the ground, 


APPENDIX. 


557 


practiced regular government and a pure religion before they 
parted asunder. No date can now be fixed for the great separa- 
tion, when the families of those Aryans parted off in different 
directions to become different nations, and speak their originriJ 
language with such changes that they no longer understood each 
other’s speech ; when in later ages they met as hostile nations. 
In most cases these wandering Aryans did not enter on unin- 
habited lands, but upon those on which men of other races were 
already dwelling. Among these they came as conquerors, and 
generally drove the aborigenes out of the best parts of the lands 
into out of the way corners. 

The Aryan family parted into two great divisions; the 
Eastern or Asiatic Aryans and the Western or European Aryans. 
That vast extent of country from the eastern coast of the Medi- 
terranean to the remotest bounds of Persia, com.monly spoken of 
as Assyria, included the lands of the Aryan tribes. 

Of the Gods who were common to the settlers of this region, 
the principal were Bel and Nabo. They recognized in Bel their 
common progenitor. Their notions of Nabo were founded on a 
prediction which held out the expectation of a Great Deliverer to 
the nations, and Nabo literally signified : ‘‘ One Prophesied of,” 
or One Eoretold.” Bel or Baal, although an object of religious 
worship, did not represent to them the Supreme Being, but their 
deified ancestor Bel which term signified, the white or fair one ; 
also, lord progenitor. By this term of Bel or Baal they denoted 
the progenitor of the white or Aryan race. Also, as dominion in 
the primitive ages originated in parental and patriarchal autho- 
rity, the term became their title for Ruler or Eather of the 
Family. Bel or Baal was consecrated in the star Saturn, and 
represented by an image of the Star bearing a scepter in its 
hand. With the masses, this symbol in time absorbed the wor- 
ship of the Divine Personage those eastern Aryans had been 
taught to expect at a future period. As far as opinions have been 
collected, they supply evidence that the expectation of a Great 
Deliverer prevailed among the descendants of the patriarch Seth, 
who believed that Seth had been initiated by the angels of God 
in regard to the perversion of his future posterity and the advent 
of a Saviour. 

In the science of astronomy, cultivated among those eastern 
Aryans from the remotest antiquity, it was taught that there 
would be a restitution of all things after a revolution of years, 


55 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


and the beginning of a new era was calculated by the rising of 
particular stars. Astromony, however, was mixed up with 
astrology, and their observations of terrestial plieiminena led to 
an elaborate system of augur^'. Their chief object was to notice 
the event which happened after each celestial phenomenon, such 
as eclipses of the sun and moon; phases of Venus and Mars; 
position of the polar star, and the appearance of comets. The 
false assumption was made, that an event was caused by another 
which preceded it. Hence it was laid down, that whensoever 
two events had been observed to follow one after another, the re- 
currence of the first would cause the other to follow again.. 

These Aryan nations believed in the existence of One Invisible 
Creator; Supreme First Cause of All. But they assigned to the 
stars that influence over sublunary affairs, which gradually came 
to be placed in the stead of the watchful over-ruling providence 
of the Deity. Afterwards it came to be believed that it was in- 
consistent with the nature of the Supreme Being to condescend to 
interpose in the affairs of the world. Therefore our Lord taught 
his disciples that the very hairs of their heads were numbered, 
and not a sparrow fell to the ground without the heavenly 
Father’s knowledge. 

The Kurds who settled in the Kardu or Gordaean mountains, 
referred to as the mountains of Ararat in Old Testament history, 
were, by the ignorant, accused of worshipping the Great Dog. 
This originated from the veneration paid by them to the star 
Sirius. A direct consequence of this belief in the influence of the 
stars, was that the eastern Aryans ceased in time to offer religious 
worship or requests directly to the Supreme Invisible Creator and 
transferred their adoration to the luminous bodies by which they 
believed earthly affairs to be governed, and whom they constituted 
as mediators between themselves and the Invisible Supreme. 
Therefore our Lord said to his people : I say not unto you that I 
will make request of the Father for you, for the Father himself 
loveth you. 

The Aryans never fell into the low forms of idolatry of the 
Semites. The religion of the Medes was the most spiritual, and 
their sacred rites with those of the Persians were exceedingly 
simple. They neither used temples, altars nor statues. They 
believed the Supreme Invisible Being had created two other 
mighty beings. Ormuzd and Ahriman, and imparted as much of 
his own nature to them as seemed good to Him. Ormuzd re- 


APPENDIX. 


559 


mained faithful to his Creator and was regarded as the source of 
all good. Ahriman rebelled and became the author ot all evil 
upon the earth. Ormuzd created man and supplied him with all 
the materials of happiness ; but Ahriman marred this happiness 
by introducing evil into the world. In consequence of this, 
good and evil became mingled in every part of the world, and 
the adherents of evil or Ahriman carry on incessant war against 
the followers of Ormuzd the good. But this state of things was 
not to last forever. The time was to come when the adherents of 
Ormuzd should everywhere become victorious, and Ahriman and 
his followers be consigned to darkness forever. 

The eastern Aryans adored the Sun, Fire and Light as the 
emblems of Ormuzd, who is the source of all light and purity. 
But they did not regard these visible emblems as deities. Their 
religious rites and ceremonies were regulated by the Magi, whose 
name Mag or Mog, signified priest and holy cause. The Magi 
had charge, not only of religious matters, but also of arts and all 
mental culture. They were famous in the ancient world for 
astronomy, astrology and divination. It was considered a neces- 
sary part of a princely education to have been instructed in the 
peculiar learning of the sacred order of the Magi, an order con- 
ceded to no other than royal personages. 

The Magian learning embraced everything which pertained 
to the higher culture of the then civilized nations, and the 
Magi bound themselves up with the entire public and domestic 
life. The judicial office also was at times in the hands of the 
Magi ; for from them was chosen the college of royal judges in 
the reign of Cambyses.. Men holding such offices and possessed 
of such learning, doubtless exerted an influence with the people, 
which at times proved a check upon oriental despotism ; though 
the Magi sometimes lost their lives through the wrath of the 
monarchs, who were incited against them by those whose en- 
croachments they endeavored to stem. Among the Assyrians, 
their Magi were also known as the Wise Men. — [JVb/an's As- 
sy ria7Z Expectations. John Kitto s Bib. Enc.) 

Recent discoveries have proved that the knowledge and 
practice of medicine was in a far more advanced state with 
the Magi than might have been expected. Fragments of an 
old work on medicine have been found, which show that all 
known diseases had been classified, and their symptons described. 


560 


lESAT NASSAR. 


The medical mixtures considered appropriate to each, being pre- 
scribed and compounded quite in modern fashion. — {Saycr.J 

The Parthians in northern Persia revolted B. C. 256, and 
established a kingdom under the descendants of their first leader, 
Ashk or Arsakes. The Parthian kings became formidable ene- 
mies, and indeed rivals of Rome. There was always a second 
power in the world, civilized or semi-civilized, that in a true sense 
balanced the power of Rome, acted as a counterpoise or a check, 
and had to be consulted or considered. That power, for nearly 
three hundred years, B. C. 64 to A. D. 225, was Parthia. — His}. 
Persia and Assyria. 


PROSELYTES TO JUDAISM. 

In thee have they set light by father and mother. — Isa. 
xxii.j z. Ever learning, but never able to come to a knowledge 
of the truth. — 2 Tim. Hi., i. Ye compass sea and land to make 
one proselyte ; and when he is become so, ye make him two-fold 
more a son of hell than yourselves. — Matt, xxiii., 15. 

They (proselytes to Judaism) then quickly learn to despise the 
Gods, to renounce their country, and to hold their parents, chil- 
dren and brethren in the utmost contempt . — Tacitus Hist, liber. 
V. cap. 5. 

Proselytes to Judaism were of different degrees. “ Proselytes 
of the Gate ” were those Gentiles who were converts or addicted 
to Judaism, but had not formally joined that sect by circum- 
cision and baptism. Proselytes of Righteousness ” were those 
who formally and publicly entered the Jewish Church by such 
rites. 

For the admission of Proselytes of Righteousness,” three 
things were required ; circumcision, baptism and sacrifice for the 
men ; women were to be baptized and offer a heifer, a pair of 
turtle doves or young pigeons. Baptism was by immersion and 
indispensable for the making of a proselyte. The children of a 
female proselyte were regarded as Jews, even if the baptism of 
the father was doubtful Every proselyte to Judaism was 


APPENDIX. 


5^1 

obliged to change his or her name to one of Hebrew denomi- 
nation, by which they were henceforth known to the Synagogue 
and to the Jews. 

When a proselyte stepped out of the waters of baptism, he 
was taught that he was new-born, not in a moral or spiritual 
sense, but in regard to his former religion, race, country, home, 
habits, family relations and friends. The first thing he was 
taught was, that, as he had entered into new relations with the 
God of the Hebrews, he was to despise his former Deity and to 
renounce allegiance to his country. Further, the proselyte was 
taught that the natural bonds which had bound him to parents, 
wife, husband, children, kindred, friends and race, no longer ex- 
isted ; and that all his past was as though it never had been. 
These conditions were carried out with such crafty arguments as 
to determine, not only questions of inheritance, but also the mar- 
riage relations of proselytes. It was a maxim with the Rabbis 
that a proselyte might lawfully marry his own mother, his own 
sister, or his own daughter, born before he became a proselyte ; 
they being now no more related to him than any other woman. — 
i^Edcrsheim' s Life of Jesus ^ Vol. //., Appendix and Jennings An- 
tiquities^ Vol. /, London, 1766.) Therefore our Lord so decidedly 
denounced the system of converting the Gentile nations to Juda- 
ism. “ Woe unto you Pharisees and Scribes, ye hypocrites, for 
ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he 
is become so, ye make him two-fold more the child of hell than 
yourselves. — St. Matt, xxiii., 15. 

The Jews laid down strict rules to test the sincerity of pros- 
elytes. But during the reign of the Hebrew Messiah, say they, 
no proselytes to Judaism will be received from the Gentiles, 
for fear that in the final war against Hebrew supremacy, the 
proselytes may cast off the yoke of Judaism and join the oppo- 
nents who will refuse to pay further tribute to the Hebrews. 
Opponents to Hebrew supremacy were to be destroyed ; but a 
sufficient number of obsequious and subservient Gentiles to be 
reserved for service. 

They spoke of proselytes with contempt, calling them a 
plague of leprosy; but the marriage of a Hebrew or Hebrewess 
with a wealthy or influential proselyte was much sought after. 

In Antioch the Jews continually made proselytes of great 
numbers of Greeks, and thereby brought them over to their con- 
federacy. In Damascus they made so many converts among the 

36 


lESAT NASSAR. 


562 

Syrian women that the men were obliged to distrust their own 
wives and keep them in ignorance of their movements in mat- 
ters which appertained to the welfare of the State, because the 
women had been so influenced, that the majority were either 
secretly or openly addicted to Judaism, and would betray to the 
Hebrews any plans made by their own men. The Damascenes 
finally became so exasperated at such a state of affairs in their 
domestic relations, that they cut the throats of ten thousand 
Hebrews in one day. 

Adiabene was the principal of the six provinces into which 
the kingdom of Assyria was divided. Pliny and Amianus com- 
prehended the whole of Assyria under that name: but it properly 
denoted the province which was watered by the Rivers Adiab 
and Diab, which flow into the Tigris from the northeast, and 
was a part of Kurdistan. Josephus says that King Monabazus, 
or Bezeus, the son of lesat, king of Adiabene, married, according 
to the custom of ancient royal families his half sister Helena, 
co-heiress of the kingdom. (Helena was probably a first cousin 
of her husband, for the first cousins are by Orientals often called 
brothers and sisters and especially when two brothers have mar- 
ried two sisters are their children spoken of as brothers and 
sisters. 

A Hebrew merchant named Ananias ingratiated himself with 
the women of the royal family of Kharax-Spasini, adjacent 
province of Adiabene, and converted them to Judaism. Another 
Hebrew won over Queen Helena to embrace the same creed. 
Monabazus and Helena had two sons. Monabaz the elder, and 
Izates the younger who was his mother’s favorite. Through his 
influence on the converted women, Ananias took the opportunity 
to have Prince Izates trained so efficaciously, that he also be- 
came addicted to, converted, and finally formally embraced 
Judaism by secret circumcision. Queen Helena was so pleased 
that her favorite son had, like herself, departed from the faith of 
his race, that she intrigued and obtained for liim the succession 
to the throne on the death of her husband ; to the exclusion of 
her elder son Monabaz. The fact of Prince Izates’ aherence to 
Judaism was however strictly kept secret from his subjects; for 
Queen Helena rightly surmised that they would refuse to accept, 
as their ruler, one who was a renegade. King Izates reigned 
over Adiabene till about A. D. 50, when he died aged fifty-five. 
The latter years of his life were spent in civil war with the people 


APPENDIX. 


5^3 


of Adiabene; who, when they discovered tliat his extravagant 
zeal for Jewish interests was caused by his secret adherence to 
the religion of the Hebrews, became discontented and revolu- 
tionary. 

A certain quarter in Jerusulem, in the vicinity of the Temple 
area, was known as the Camp of the Assyrians. Probably it was 
so named when the Assyrian Kings destroyed the centralization 
of Hebrew power in that city ; camped on the site, and retained 
it either by right of conquest, former possession, or later purchase. 
In this portion of the city, would naturally reside and congregate, 
all those Aryan foreigners from Assyria, Parthia, Medio, Persia, 
Kurdistan, etc., who had been won over to Judaism. 

Several members of the royal families of Adiabene had palaces 
in this quarter of Jerusalem. Queen Helena’s palace was situated 
on Mount Acra, and that of her eldest son Monabaz, on Ophel. 
The palace of the Princess Grapte, cousin of Queen Helena, ad- 
joined the temple area and doubtless stood on the site now known 
as the Church of St. Anna. These royal Aryans were very wealthy 
and continuously gave large donations to the Jewish Temple and 
to its priests. Their generosity to the poor was unfailing and pro- 
verbial, and in seasons of famine caused by failure of harvests, 
they fed the needy of Jerusalem with wheat, figs and raisins at 
their own expense : importing such provisions by ship loads from 
Cyprus and Alexandria. In his history of the Antiquities and 
Wars of the Jews, Josephus incidentally mentions the members of 
this royal family of Adiabene and their devotion to the cause of 
Judaism. 

When in A. D. 66, King Agrippa, of the Herodian princes, 
tried to disuade the Jews from continuing their seditious revolts 
against the power of Rome, he said : Your ancestors and their 
kings who were in much better circumstances than we are, both 
as to money, bodies and souls, could not bear the onset of a 
small body of the Roman Army. Yet you, .who have not ac- 
customed yourselves to obedience from one generation to another, 
and who are so much inferior to your ancestors who submitted, 
will venture to oppose the entire army of the Romans. Where 
are those people whom you are to have for your auxilliaries ? 
Must they come from the uninhabited parts of the earth; for 
all that are -in the habitable earth are under the Romans. Un- 
less indeed any of you extend your hopes as far as beyond the 
River Euphrates, and suppose that those that dwell in Adiabene 


5^4 


lESAT NASSAU. 


will come to your assistance. But it is certain that these will 
not embarrass themselves with an unjustifiable war. Nor, if 
they should follow such ill advice, will the Parthians permit 
them to do so ; for it is their concern to maintain the truce that 
is between them and the Romans, and they will be supposed to 
break the covenants between them, if any under their govern- 
ment should march against the Romans. 

When General Cestius was sent to quell one of the many 
seditions, he camped not far from Jerusalem. As it was during 
the feast of the tabernacles, there were multitudes of Jews in the 
city who felt specially encouraged to sally out against the 
Romans; because of the large number of foreigners, converts 
to Judaism, at that time in Jerusalem. Josephus says : ‘‘The 
Jews were but a disorderly body and unskilful in war; rather a 
rabble than an army. So they rushed out in a disorderly manner, 
making a great noise, but the foreigners fought in disciplined 
ranks, and five hundred of the Roman Army fell. On the side 
of the Jews, only twenty-two were killed; of whom the bravest 
and most valiant men were princes of Adiabene, kinsmen of King 
Monabaz, and other prominent men of Babylon and Perea; all 
converts to Judaism. It was Chagiras, son of Nabateusof Adia- 
bene, with several others, who, when the Roman engines began 
to make the walls of Jerusalem shake, seized torches and sallied 
out without fear or delay; and rushing through did set the Roman 
engines on fire. Although shot at with darts from every side 
and assaulted with swords, these misguided Aryans would not 
withdraw from the danger, till the engines had caught fire. 

Two of the principal Judean factions, opposed to each other, 
were headed by John of Gischala and Simon of Gerasso. These 
Hebrew generals with their adherents, agreed in nothing but in 
murdering the innocent : which they did without mercy ; omitting 
no method of torture and barbarity. Although killing and rob- 
bing their own Jevvs who were inclined to live peaceably under 
the mild and just Roman administration, the hate of these fac- 
tions was chiefly directed against the valiant men of wealth and 
good family who were converts to Judaism. These they destroyed 
under any pretext, coveting their possessions and fearing their 
influence; for these so-called patriots believed their success and 
security lay in leaving no powerful or intelligent man alive, who 
was not subservient to them. Niger of Perea, who had so 
bravely fought for them against the Romans, they first stoned 


APPENDIX. 


5^5 

and then dragged, wounded and mutilated, along the stones of 
the streets through the city. When he pointed out to them the 
scars of the many wounds he had received in battle for their 
cause, the Jews only mocked him; and dragging him out of the 
city, slew him and abused his dead body : refusing it burial 
simply because his dying request had been, sepulture for his re- 
mains. Gorion, another proselyte of renown, w^as murdered 
because he denounced their lawlessness. They found pretext to 
destroy all whom they suspected of the slightest opposition to 
their schemes, and when they could find no other accusation, 
they killed these unfortunate proselytes on the plea that they 
were proud and despised the Jews. — Jos. Ant. df Wars. Jennmgs 
Antiquities. Edershebn., &^c. 

The first care of the Jews was to establish a church in the 
cities where they settled. If they lacked means to build a sanctu- 
ary, they set aside at least some meeting place. In the wealthiest 
cities, in Alexandria and in Antioch, it was regarded as a point 
of honor that their synagogues should rival the Pagan temples in 
point of richness. The sanctuaries of the Jews of the Dispersion 
impressed the idea of an altogether spiritual religion, for there 
was no altar to be seen as in Jerusalem, no bloody sacrifices, but 
only a Book treated as worthy of all homage. The Mosaic wor- 
ship showed itself in its most favorable light, freed from the coarse 
shell which Jesus Christ had disowned. Jewish society captivated 
the Pagans by the peculiar charm of its life and its incessant 
novelty. Nowhere else was the latest news known so soon. It 
was a rare thing not to meet some foreign guest on his journeys, 
the magnates of finance going from one city to another, mission- 
aries whom zeal for the Law impelled to travel lands and seas. 
The new comers would recount what they had seen by the way, 
and rehearse the doctrines of celebrated masters. Still oftener, the 
head of the community would publish some message from the 
great Sanhedrim or from neighboring colonies of Jews. By these 
daily communications, each ‘‘ ghetto ’’ kept in contact with the 
whole world ; for as Judaism extended like roots from one stem, 
the slightest movement was transmitted through the entire body, 
from India to the Atlantic coasts, from Africa to the regions of 
the North. 

Another attraction lay in the fact that its members enjoyed a 
certain independence — a life of their own. While all through 


566 


lESAT NASSAR. 


the Empire, prying laws determined upon just what conditions a 
Society should be tolerated, the number of its members, the fre- 
quency of its meetings, and the largest sum to be allowed in its 
treasury, Jewish associations were made an exception, and regard- 
ed as purely religious assemblies they were formed and governed 
openly with perfect freedom from these restraints. Such privileges 
as these explain the favor with which the Mosaic law was re- 
garded, The women especially were attracted by the mystery 
of the synagogue. They embraced the faith in great numbers. 
At Damascus almost all the women were proselytes, and in 
Thyatira and Thessalonica, Saint Paul on entering the Jewish 
place of prayer, found women to be in the majority. In Rome, 
the number of converts (to Judaism) among the patrician ladies 
was so well known, that Ovid advises his readers, if they wish to 
see the renowned beauties of the capital, to stand guard at the 
doors of the synagogues. The masters of Israel encouraged this 
movement among the Pagan ladies ; for the conversions of 
women, always sincere and exciting no great attention from out- 
siders, gave rise to no embarrasing or troublesome consequences. 

But among the men, they had learned by experience to expect 
self-interested motives ; some came to J udaism with the view of 
gaining the privileges we have been speaking of — exemption 
from taxes, public duties and military service. There were the 
Proselytes of the Royal Table, who became Jews, the better to 
pay court to the ‘‘ princes of Israel the “ Lion’s Proselytes,” 
whom reverse of fortune or some affliction had impelled to seek 
Jehovah, like those Assyrian colonists who had been converted in 
order to escape the ‘‘lions of Samaria;” the “Proselytes of 
Fear,” as, for instance, the tribune Mitellius, who followed the 
Mosaic system in order to save his life. These nicknames which 
the Rabbis were ever inventing for them, show with what dis- 
trust they welcomed the Pagan men. In their thinking, it was 
not enough to be attracted by the doctrine of only one God — 
for many sects taught the same dogma, and might win away the 
new converts. Such were the schools of Alexandria, which were 
filled with deserters. The Rabbis of Palestine came to detest 
the proselytes, they called them the leprosy of Israel, accused 
them of delaying the appearance of the Messiah, and affirmed 
that their descendants were to be regarded with suspicion down 
to the fortieth generation. 

In the Dispersion, far from repulsing the Proselytes, very 


APPENDIX. 


567 


many rabbis were only seeking how to smooth the way for 
them. With this view, they declared that circumcision and the 
observance of all the legal precepts were not indespensable con- 
ditions for participating in the salvation of Israel. Many went so 
far as to dissuade them from undergoing the bloody incision ; 
the only important thing in their eyes was to acknowledge 
Jehovah as the only true God. This was what was meant by a 
person remaining a ‘‘ Proselyte of the Gate.^’ Those who were 
urged by the more rigid and zealous doctors to undergo circum- 
cision, to take part in the numerous ablutions and in the offerings 
of sacrifices, became “ Proselytes of Justice/’ and were in no way 
distinguishable from pure Israelites. — Saint Peter and First Years 
of Christianity : by the Abbe Cons ta7it Fouard^ with introduction 
by Cardinal Gibbons, 


CHAPTER I. 


Princess Grapte of Kharax. 

Jews Move to Subdue the World to Themselves, — The 
Jews of the Dispersion never ceased for more than five centuries, 
to send forth new branches from the present stock, always moving 
forward to take possession of the most distant lands; — and this 
in such numbers, that in Strabo’s time there was no city or harbor 
in which the Jews had not established themselves, no corner where 
this tenacious people had not managed to get a foothold. They 
were equally prosperous in the empires of Rome and of Parthia. 
In the territory of the latter, who were then supreme in India as 
far as the Euphrates, the Jews soon ingratiated themselves with 
the new victors. But it was the Roman Empire, after all, which 
offered the greatest advantages to them. So, spread abroad and 
bound together by strong commercial ties, the Jews encircled the 
world without restrictions, and well nigh without fear of the 
future, for no person could attack the whole race. Formidable as 
the Jewish influence appeared to magistrates in the provinces, 
their power was no less dreaded by the merchants of the cities 
where they did business. In every branch of traffic, the close 
union between members of their race, and their connections 
bringing them into touch, commercially, with the whole world. 


568 


lESAT NASSAR. 


gave them a notable advantage over their rivals. As soon as the 
Jews appeared in any place, they first managed to get the small 
tradesmen’s business into their hands ; after which they would 
begin quietly, and by degrees to get control of the more consider- 
able business interests; finally, they even took charge of the 
farming of taxes. They undervalued the pastoral life, and reserved 
all their praise for trade. There is no meaner calling than agri- 
culture,” said Rabbi Eleazar as he was looking on a field ripe for 
the sickle ; and Rabbi Rabh added : All the harvests in the 
world are not to be compared to commerce.” — Saint Peter and 
First Years of Christianity^ by Abbe Constant Fouard. 

Royal Gentiles Embrace Judaism. — A certain Jewish 
merchant, whose name was Ananias, got among the women that 
belonged to the King of Kharax-Spasini (a province of Parthia), 
and taught them to worship God according to the Jewish re- 
ligion — Jos, Ant. XXVII J, IX. 

Helena, Queen of Adiabene, had a palace on the Mount 
Acra, and one of her cousins, Crapta, had likewise a palace at 
Jerusalem. — Lieux Historiques^ by Freres Lievin de la Hamme. 

Leaders of Gentiles to Become Slaves of Jews. — Men 
of stature (/. <?., rank) shall come unto thee, and they shall be 
thine. They shall go after thee : in chains shall they come over, 
and they shall fall down unto thee (Israel) saying: Surely God is 
in thee. — Isa. xlv., 14. 

Grandparents of Jesus Wealthy and Charitable. — 
There was a certain person called Joachim, who, being very 
rich, made double offerings unto the Lord. The lives of Joachim 
and Anna were plain and right before the Lord, and pious and 
faultless before men. They divided all their substance into three 
parts; one of which they devoted to the Temple and officers of 
the Temple; another they distributed among strangers and 
persons in poor circumstances ; and the third they reserved for 
themselves and the uses of their own family, — Apoc. Gospel. Pro- 
toevangelion I. Birth of Mary. 

Birthplace of St. Mary. — The Church of Saint Anna was 
built in the 6th century by the Emperor Justinian I., on the site 
(according to oriental tradition) of the house of Joachim and 
Anna, where the immaculate Mary was conceived and born. On 


APPENDIX. 


569 


the expulsion of the Crusaders 1187 A. D., Saladin transformed 
the monastary of Saint Anna into a school for the Doctors of 
Mohamedanism. — Lieux Historiques de la Terre Sainte : Frere 
Lievin de la Hamme. 

The French Government, on taking possession of the Church 
of Saint Anna, 1854 A. D., restored it. When the ground was 
being cleared of the ruins, columns, capitals and mouldings 
were found. The rock cut caves under the Church are now con- 
nected. The eastern one resembles the bottle-shaped cistern ; 
the western one, a vault, is the reputed lodging of Joachim and 
Anna, the parents of the Virgin Mary. — Baurath C, von Schick^ 
in Quarterly Statement of Palestine Exploration Fund^ 1888 and 
1890. 


CHAPTER II. 


OUR LADY OF GRACE. 

How Israel Treated Strangers. — Ye have used deceit 
and oppressed the stranger wrongfully. Ye have devoured their 
souls ; divining lies unto them and saying : Thus saith the Lord 
God, when the Lord hath not at all spoken. — Isa. xxii. ' 

But the Lord shall help them, and deliver and save them be- 
cause they trust in Him. — Ps. xxxvii. 

High Priest curses Joachim for being Childless — 
When the High Priest saw Joachim bringing his offering, he des- 
pised both him and his offering; and asked him: Why he who 
had no children, would presume to appear among those who 
had ? Adding : that his offering would never be acceptable to 
God, who had judged him unworthy to have children; the 
Scripture having said : Cursed is everyone who shall not beget a 
male in Israel! The High Priest further said, that Joachim 
ought first to be free from that curse, by begetting issue. 

But Joachim retired to his shepherds who were with their 
cattle in their pastures. And when he had been there for some 
time, the angel of the Lord stood by him with a prodigious 
light, and said : God is not the avenger of nature, therefore make 


570 


lESAT NASSAR. 


haste and go hence, for Anna thy wife shall conceive. — Apoc. 
Gospel, 

Rabbi Akeeva approached Jesus, and asked him from what 
town he came. Jesus answered I am from Notseres; my father’s 
name is Metsarsses, and my mother’s name is Karkhas. — Toledoth 
Yeshu Ha Nossri, 

An Orthodox Jew must divorce a childless wife. — 
If a Talmudical Jew has been married ten years and has no 
children he is obliged to divorce his wife and marry another. — 
Home and Synagogue, The Religious Tract Society of London^ 
England, 

Jews may Divorce their Wives on Account of a Poor 
Dinner. — The School of Hillel declared it sufficient ground for 
a divorce, if a woman had spoiled her husband’s dinner. 

A Jew may Abandon his Wife for a more Attractive 
Woman. — Rabbi Akiba thought, that the words : If she find no 
favor in his eyes, Deut. xxiv., i, implied that it was sufficient, if 
a man had found another woman, more attractive than his wife. 

Other Reasons for Divorce, and with a Loss of 
Dowry. — According to the Mishna, women could not only be 
divorced, but wdth the loss of their dowry ; if they transgressed 
the law of Moses or of Israel. The law of Moses, is explained, 
as implying a breach of the tithing of setting apart the first of 
the dough, and of purification. The law of Isreal, is ex- 
plained as referring to such offences as that of going in 
public with uncovered head ; of spinning in public streets, or 
entering into talk with men; that of brawling, or speaking disre- 
spectfully of her husband’s parents, in his presence. A trouble- 
some or quarrelsome wife, might certainly be sent away, and 
childlessness during ten years was also regarded as valid ground 
of divorce. — Eder, Life of Jesus ^ Vol. II. 

A Woman cannot Divorce her Husband under Israel’s 
Law. — When Salome, Herod’s sister, quarrelled with her hus- 
band, she sent him a bill of divorce and dissolved her marriage 
with him; though this was not according to Jewish laws: for 
with us it is lawful for a husband to do so ; but a wife, if she de- 
parts from her husband cannot be married to another, unless her 
former husband put her away. — Jos, Ant, XF,, vii. 


APPENDIX. 


571 


Jews charge Jesus with being of Gentile race. — The 
Jews said unto Jesus: Thou art a Samaritan. (In Hebrew, 
Cuthim, i. e., one that is of foreign race, not Jewish ; alien, and 
stranger .) — John viii. Jos. Ant. Eder. Life of Jesus. 


CHAPTER III. 


BLESSED ABOVE WOMEN. 

When the child was a year old, Joachim made a great feast, 
and invited the priests, scribes, elders and all the people. — 
Protoev. V. 

There appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun, 
and the moon under feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve 
stars. — Rev. xii. Hail thou Mary that art endued with Grace. — 
Luke i. 

The Messiah of Israel. — A great Rabbi says : The pro- 
phecies have never made mention either of a descendant of David 
or of the Messiah King — not even of a personal Messiah. The 
true Redeemer would no longer be a personality, but would be 
Israel, transformed into a lighthouse of nations . — See Original 
Mr. Jacobs. Minerva Pub. Co. 

Seventh Day Adventists effect to believe that the world has 
undergone moral regeneration enough to warrant the belief that 
the Messiah is about to come. The Messiahs of Jewish history 
came when hope of the improvement of the condition of affairs 
had almost ceased to spring eternal in the human breast : the 
Biblical Messiah’s coming is to be preceded by that of Elijah, of 
the prophet, and by miraculous performances. The difference 
between the three conceptions is striking . — Jewish Exponerit., 
Phila.., Ja 7 i. 26, 1894. 

Jews Worshipped the Great Serpent until Hezekiah’s 
Time. — King Hezekiah brake in pieces the brazen serpent that 
Moses had made ; for unto those days the children of Israel did 
burn incense unto it. — II. Kings xviii. 

Nay, even, may there not have been many spcies of the genus 


572 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Homo-^rt Adamites, who lived and died before the apparition of 
Adam and the race of which he is the father ? Neither the Abbe 
Bourgeois nor the Abbe Delaunay saw in this hypothesis any- 
thing contrary to Catholic dogma. 

The Abbe Vigouroux, who, although conservative, never 
flinches before a difficulty says : We maintain, it is true, that the 
progress of the civilizations which ffourished in Egypt and 
Chaldea from the times of the most ancient kings whose names 
are known to us as well as the discoveries of geologists and 
palaeontologists, demand a longer tim.e than the chronology of 
the Septuagint allows us. — The Age of the Human Race according 
to Modern Science a7id Biblical Chronology ^ by the Rev. J, A. 
Zahm., C. S. C., in the American Catholic Quarterly.^ April., iSp4, 


CHAPTER IV. 


THE VIRGIN NAMED MARY. 

Talmud Asks, Where is Mary’s Genealogy? — Behold 
the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good 
thing, which I have promised, unto the house of Israel and to the 
house of Judah. In those days, and at that time will I cause the 
Branch of Righteousness to grow up unto David. — Jer. xxviii. 
All these things the Infidels (/. e., Christians) interpret to mean 
Jesus; as if he was to have been born of the house of David. 
We answer: Where does it appear to these (Christians) that 
Jesus was descended from the family of David? Certainly, no 
such memoranda can be found in the book of their own erroneous 
ramblings (New Testarnent). The genealogy of Mary can not be 
found in any of their books. On the contrary : discern and hear 
how by 'their own words, they make themselves to be judged 
guilty of lies. For Matthew and Luke, who construct the gene- 
alogies, only construct the genealogy of Joseph, the husband of 
Mary . — Liber Nizzachon Vtvs Avtoris Iricogniti. Tela Igenea 
Wagenseilvs. 

The Indumeans drove the rest, into that royal palace, that 
was built by Grapte who was a relation of Izates the King of 
Adiabene, and drove the Zealots out thence into the Temple; for 


APPENDIX. 


573 


John the son of Levi of Gischala, was in that palace, and therein 
had he laid up the spoils which he had acquired by his tyranny. 
— Jos, Wars, w., tx, 

Mary's Royal Cousin Embraces Judaism. — Helena, Queen 
of Adia])ene (part of Kurdistan to the east of the Tigris) who 
with her son reigned over that country, embraced the religion of 
Israel. She was lavish of all manner of assistance to the nation 
of the Jews. Helena had a palace on the Mount Acra. Monabaz, 
another son of Helena, had his palace on the Ophel, and one of 
her cousins Crapta had likewise a palace at Jerusalem. — Guide 
Indicateur de Sanctuaires et Lieux Historiques de la Terre Sainte, 
by Frere Lievin de la Hajnme, 

Who the Queen Helena of the Talmud Was. — Helena, 
Queen of Adiabene and proselyte (to Judaism) is the Helena Ha 
Malka^’ of the — Some Jewish Women, by H. Zirn- 

dorf. 

Mary was a Wealthy Princess. — Queen Helena had a 
relative, a maiden who was called by the name Maryam (Mary). 
This maiden had a great fortune, great riches and much property. 
Near to her house (near of kin) was a young man named Youseph 
Pandar. This Youseph had also great riches and much property; 
but his mother’s family was not of royal lineage. — Toledoth Yeshu 
Ha Nossri, 

Talmudists’ Writings to be Read with Care. — An ana- 
chronism (to confound time) of two or three centuries, are trifles 
for Rabbinical writers. The Talmud is never to be trusted as to 
historical details. Often it seems purposely to alter, when it in- 
tends the experienced student to read between the lines ; while at 
other times, it presents a story in what may be called, an alle- 
gorical form. — Eder, I. Mod. Jud., J. Allen, London, i8i6. 

Mary kept all these things ; pondering them in her heart. 
— Luke a. 


574 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER V, 


YOUSEPH AND MARYA. 

When his mother had been betrothed to Joseph. — Matt, i, 

Talmud Record of the Betrothal of the Virgin 
Mary. — At that time, there was a young man of the aristocratic 
families of the Jews, named Rabbi Yohanan, and he was 
descended from the family of King David. This young man 
Yohanan was betrothed to Maryam, the relative of Queen 
Helena, according to the law of the Jews, by Mekadesh ; for in 
old times among the Jews, they used to be betrothed mekadesh 
at the marriage engagement. — Toledoth Yeshu Ila Nossri. 

Form of Mekadesh Betrothal. — According to Rabbinical 
law certain formalities were requisite to make a betrothal legally 
valid. These consisted in either handing to a woman directly or 
through messengers a piece of money, however small, or else a 
letter ; provided it were in each case expressly stated before wit- 
nesses, that the man thereby intended to espouse the woman as 
his wife. From the moment of her betrothal a woman was 
treated as if she were actually married. The union could not be 
dissolved except by regular divorce. Breach of faithfulness was 
regarded as adultery; and the property of the woman became 
virtually that of her betrothed, unless he had expressly renounced 
it. (Kidd. IX., i). But even in that case he was her natural heir. 
Property or money which might come to a woman after betrothal 
the law adjudicated to her husband. — Edcr. Jew. Social Life, 

The Virgin Mary’s Cousin Queen Helena and the 
Jews. — The Queen Helena, though belonging to quite a dif- 
ferent race, was so closely allied to the Jewish people in her 
thoughts and feelings, that she sympathized with them in all their 
woes. — Helena^ Queen and Proselyte.^ in Some Jewish Women f 
by H, Zirndorf. 


APPENDIX. 


.'^75 


CHAPTER VI. 


THE SON OF GOD. 

As to soteriology, a virgin conceives. It is not however to 
produce Zarathushtra, but the restoring Saviour of the latter 
age ; nor does she conceive without seed, although she is still a 
virgin. — In Yasht xiii. 142, we read : ‘‘We worship the guardian 
of the holy maid Eretat-fedhri, who is called the all-conquering, 
for she will bring him forth who will destroy the malice of the 
demons and of men.’^ In Yasht xix. 92, we read : Astvatereta 
(the Saviour of the Restoration) will arise from the waters of 
Kasava, a friend of Ahura Mazda (the Arbiter and Great Wise 
One) a son of Vishataurvi, the all-conquering, knowing the vic- 
torious knowledge which will make the world progress unto per- 
fection. — Zoroaster and the Bible ^ by Rev. Dr. J. If. Mills in the 
Nineteenth Century^ Jan , 1894. 

God from the Solar Orb, a King shall send, 

And bid the wasted world, her warfare end. 

The captive He shall free; the yoke unbind, 

I'he impious law restrain; 

The burden ease, and break the oppressor’s chain. 

— Nolan's Assyrian Expectations., Assyrian Sybils. 

The revelation to Balam, the son of Beor, of Assyria, out of 
the mountains of the East. He heard the word of God and re- 
ceived knowledge from the Most High, and said : I have seen 
Him who shall deliver; but he cometh not now; I behold Him, 
but not yet nigh. — Samaritan Version. Nolan's Assyrian Ex- 
pectations. 

He shall be great, for he shall reign from sea to sea, and from 
the rivers to the ends of the earth. For He is the King of 
Kings, and Lord of lords ; and his throne is for ever and ever. — 
Apoc. Gospel. Birth of Mary VII. 

Hail Mary ! the Lord is with you ; you are blessed above all 
women. For He which shall be born of thee, will be holy, and 
shall be called the Son of the God of Life, and thou shalt call his 
name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their errors. — 
Protoevangelion IX. 


576 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Born, not of the will of man, but of God. He shall be great 
and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God 
shall give unto him the dominion, and of his Kingdom there shall 
be no end . — John i. Luke i. 

So-called heathen religion — We praise whatever is good 
in thought, in word or in action. 

Past or future ; we also keep clean whatever is excellent. — 

Oh, Ahura-Mazda, thou true and happy being ! 

We strive both to think, and to speak and to do whatever is 
fittest. 

* Both our lives to preserve and bring them both to Perfection. 

Holy Spirit of Earth, for our best works sake, we entreat 
thee. 

Grant us beautiful fertile fields, aye grant them to all 

MEN, BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS, THE WEALTHY AND THOSE 
THAT HAVE NOTHING. — From Religion of Ancient Iranians, 
Rawlinson's Ancient Religions. 

Jewish Religion — Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly 
destroy all that they have, and spare them not ; but slay both 

MAN AND woman, INFANT AND SUCKLING, OX AND SHEEP, CAMEL 
AND ASS. — /. Sam. XV. 3. 

And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly des- 
troyed THE MEN AND THE WOMEN, AND THE LITTLE ONES OF 
EVERY CITY, WE LEFT NONE TO REMAIN. Deut. U. 34. 

How could our Lord have been, through Joseph, the heir to 
David’s throne (according lo the genealogies) if Joseph had elder 
sons? — Eder. Life of Jesus. Vol. L. 

Jesus not a Son of David. — All these things, the infidels 
(Christians) interpret to mean Jesus, as if he was to have been 
born of the house of David. We answer : Where does it appear 
to these (Christians) that Jesus was descended from the family of 
David ? Certainly no such memoranda can be found in the 
book of their own erroneous ramblings (New Testament). The 
genealogy of Mary cannot be found in any of their books. On 
the contrary, discern and hear how by their own words they make 


♦The two lives are the life of the soul and the life of the body. 


APPENDIX. 


577 


themselves to be judged guilty of lies. For Matthew and Luke, 
who constructed their genealogies, only constructed the genealo- 
gies of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Therefore, if truly Jesus 
was born without a father, as they emphatically maintain, then 
most clearly he was not descended from the family of David. — 
Liber Nizzachon Tela Ignea Wagenseilvs. 


CHAPTER VII. 


THE LORD JESUS. 

And it came to pass, in those days, that there went out a 
decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the inhabited earth should be 
enrolled. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city 
of Nazareth, into Judea, to enroll himself with Mary, his espoused 
wife. And it came to pass, that while they were there, the days 
were accomplished that she should be delivered, and she brought 
forth her first born son. And called his name Jesus. And there 
were shepherds in the same country, and keeping watch over 
their flocks by night. — Luke ii. 

Rabbinical Name for Jesus. — When Maryam’s son was 
eight days old, she had him presented before the Jewish elders. 
Therefore they circumcised him and gave him a strange name; 
such as is not given to other children. The name was Yeshu, 
in order that it might sound peculiar to the people, so as to cause 
them to spy upon his words and deeds, and to search out his 
progenitor. Thus it would become known that he was regarded 
as illegitimate by the Jewish Sages, who had bestowed upon him 
the name Yeshu, designedly; because the three letters of which 
it is composed: Yod, Shin, Vaf, are the initials of Yomakh, 
Shemo, Vazikhro, which means : May his name and memory be 
defamed and obliterated. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri. 

The Talmud teaches : The holy and ever-blessed One (God) 
can sin ; and the greatest sin He has committed was in having 
created the accursed Nazarene — the Jesus — the idol of the 
children of Edom. — See “ The American JewS Mmerva Pub, 
Co, 


37 


57 ^ 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Talmud Records of Location of the Birth of Jesus. — 
In the curious story related of Jesus' birth in the Jerusalem Tal- 
mud (Ber. II. 3) he is said to have been born in the royal castle 
of Bethlehem. — Edersheim's Life of Jesus, Vol, /. 

In Echa R. 72 a., there is a tradition that the Messiah was to 
be born ‘‘ in the Castle of Arba of Bethlehem — Judah." 

Close by Bethlehem, on the road to Jerusalem, was a tower 
known as Migdel Eder, the watch tower of the flock. Here was 
the station where shepherds watched the flocks destined for 
sacrifices in the temple. — Eder, Jew, Life, 


CHAPTER VIII. 


THE WISE MEN. 

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the 
days of Herod the King;. behold Wise Men (Magi) came from 
the East to Jerusalem, saying: 

We have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship 
the Lord that is born. — Matt, f/., new ver. 

And when they were come into the house, they saw the 
young child with Mary his Mother, and fell down and wor- 
shipped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they 
offered unto him, gifts ; gold and frankincense, and myrrh. 
— Matt. a. 

The word Magian " is with little doubt, Avestic : the Maya 
was the Holy Cause." — Zoroaster and the Bible ^ by Rev. Dr. J. 
H. Mi/lSy in the Nineteenth Century y Jan.y 1894. 


CHAPTER IX. 


HEROD WAS TROUBLED. 

Jewish Expectations. — The promised Messiah might at any 
moment appear and ‘‘ restore the kingdom to Israel." Even the 
heathen historians note this general expectancy of an impending 
Jewish worldwide empire, and trace to it the origins of the 
rebellions against Rome. Outside Palestine all eyes were directed 


Appendix. 


119 


towards Judea. But the Rabbis did not, in general, identify 
themselves with the popular Messianic expectations. — Eders- 
heim's Jewish Social Life. 

Jewish Patriots. — There was one, Judas a Gaulonite, of a 
city whose name was Gamala. He took with him Sadduc a 
Pharisee, and became zealous to draw the Jews to revolt. These 
both said that the taxation by Caesar was no better than an intro- 
duction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to exert their liberty; 
as if they could procure them happiness and security for what 
they possessed. They also assured the people enjoyment of a 
still greater good, and said that God would not assist them unless 
they joined with one another in such counsels as might be suc- 
cessful, and for their own advantage. This especially if they 
would set about great exploits and not grow weary of executing 
the same. 

So men received what they said with pleasure, and their bold 
attempt proceeded to a great height. All sorts of misfortunes 
sprang from these men, and the nation was infected with their 
doctrine to an incredible degree. There were also very great 
robberies and murders. 

This was done indeed in pretence for the public welfare, but 
in reality for the hope of gain to themselves. Whence, therefore, 
arose seditions and murders of men, which sometimes fell on 
those of their own people. — Jos. Antiquities. 

When Herod the King had heard these things he was 
troubled. — Matt. ii. 


CHAPTER X. 


FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 

But the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph saying: 
Arise, and take the young Child and his Mother, and flee into 
Egypt ; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy him. 
And the Wise Men, being warned of God, departed into their 
own country another way. Then Herod perceiving that he was 
mocked of the Magi, became exceeding wroth, and commanded 
certain men to go and to kill all the male children from two 


580 


lESAT NASSAR. 


years old and under. But Mary hearing that the children were 
to be killed; being under much fear, took the Child and laid 
him in an ox manger (in charge of shepherds), because there was 
no room for them in the inn (no protection in the Jewish con- 
gregation). — Matt, a. Protoevangelion, 


CHAPTER XI. 


JESUS IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL. 

According to one view of Judaism, Babylonia as far as 
Syria and as far north as Antioch, was regarded as forming part 
of the “ Land of Israel.’^ But it was between the Tigris and the 
Euphrates that the largest and wealthiest settlements of the Jews 
were to such extent, that by Jewish writers that land was 
actually designated ‘‘ the Land of Israel.” — Eder, Life of Jesus, 
Vol, I, 

Vast numbers of Jews were now spread over western Asia. 
As the ParthicvUs were tolerant, the Jews here formed a recog- 
nized community ; had some cities which were entirely their own ; 
possessed a common treasury, and from time to time sent up to 
Jerusalem the offerings of the people under the protection of a 
convoy of 30,000 to 40,000 men. — Rawlinson, 

And Joseph arose and took the young Child and his Mother, 
and came into the Land of Israel. — Matt, ii. 

After which, Yohanan was very much ashamed of the public 
talk against himself, which the whole city was relating about him 
(of his disappointment and failure to marry the Lady Marya). 
So for very shame he had to make his retreat and went to Babel 
(Babylonia Assyria). — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri. 

But it was the Sabbath day, and the son of Hanani, a Jew, 
came by, and saw them making these things. A certain Jew 
seeing what Jesus was doing, went to his father Joseph and said: 
Behold thy boy is playing by the river side, and has taken clay 
and formed it into sparrows, and profaneth the Sabbath. — Gospel 
of the Infancy, 


APPENDIX. 


S8i 

Once Jesus went with his comrades to play at ball, and it was 
on the Sabbath. Jesus, however, threw the ball to a greater dis- 
tance than four ells. But when this was told to Rabbi Yehoshua, 
he did not chide him at all for it, and said : This is all through 
envy because every one is jealous of his progress in study, there- 
fore all kinds of lies are invented about him. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri, 


CHAPTER XII. 


FIRST VISIT TO THE TEMPLE. 

Last Year of the Taxing of the Inhabited Earth by 
CiESAR. — Now Cyrenius, a Roman Senator, came at this time 
into Syria ; being sent by Caesar to be a judge of that nation, and 
to take an account of their substance. Moreover Cyrenius came 
himself into Judea, which was now added to the Province of 
Syria, to take an account of their substance. 

But the Jews, although at the beginning they took the report 
of a taxation heinously, yet did they leave off any further oppo- 
sition to it, by the persuasions of Joazer, who was the son of 
Boethus and High Priest. So, being over persuaded by Joazer’s 
words, they gave an account of their estates, without any dispute 
about it. 

Thus Archelaus’ country was added to the Province of Syria, 
and the taxings were come to a conclusion, which were made in 
the thirty-seventh year of Caesar’s victory over Anthony at Actium. 
—Jos. Ant. XVIIL i. 

And thy return from Assur shall be a witness. — Samafitan 
Version Balam's Prophecy, Nolan's Assyrian Expectations, 

Jewish Visits of Obligation to the Temple of Jeru- 
salem — All thy males shall go to Jerusalem for the feasts 
to appear before the Shekhenah. But women and the blind 
shall not go to Jerusalem. The Rabbi Bakha wrote: There- 
fore no women went, nor any deformed men, because the 
cloud that was in the Temple, was clear like a looking glass; so 
that men could see their reflexions in it. For this reason it is not 
right that a woman or a deformed man should be reflected in the 


582 


lESAT NASSAR. 


holy Cloud. Therefore were they exempted from going to Jeru- 
salem for the feasts. — Khaniesha Thorah, The Talmud. 

And the parents of Jesus went every year to Jerusalem at the 
feast of the Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they 
went up. When they had fulfilled the days, as they were return- 
ing, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem, and his parents 
knew it not. But supposing him to be in the company, they went 
a day’s journey, and they sought for (or demanded) him among 
their kinsfolk and acquaintance. — And when they found him not, 
they returned to Jerusalem seeking (or demanding) for him. — 
Luke a. 

Relations of Jewish Rabbis to the People and to Gen- 
tile Rulers. — See, I have made thee (Moses) a God unto 
Pharoah. And Aaron shall be thy spokesman unto the people, 
and thou (Moses) shalt be to him as God. — Exod. iv,, vii. 

Rabbinical Laws for Training Boys. — At five years of 
age, reading of the Bible (in Hebrew) ; at ten years, learning the 
Mishnah ; at thirteen years, bound to the commandments ; at 
fifteen years, the study of the Talmud; at eighteen years, mar- 
riage. — Mishna Aboth^ V. 5. Ordinarily a young man was ex- 
pected to enter the marriage state (according to Maimonides) at 
the age of sixteen or seventeen, while the age of twenty may be 
regarded as the utmost limit conceded ; unless study so absorbed 
time and attention as to leave no leisure for the duties of married 
life. Still it was thought better even to neglect study than to re- 
main single. — Eder, Jew. Social Life. 

Hebrew Science and Morals. Not only is the Talmud 
a holy book,” says the reviewer, but is a work full of astrono- 
mical, mathematical, and medical research.” Let us examine 
the truth of this assertion by a few Talmudical extracts showing 
the boasted learning of this scientific volume. 

And first, as regards its knowledge of astrofwmy. Rabbi 
Bar Bar Ghana relates that a merchant told him to go with him 
and he would show him where the heaven touches the earth. 
He went with him to the spot; having his bread-basket 
with him; the Rabbi placed this basket at the window of the 
firmament till he had finished the appointed prayer, but when he 
looked for his basket it was gone. The Rabbi then asked the 
merchant, ‘Are there thieves here ? ’ The reply was, “ No, your 


APPENDIX. 


583 

basket has gone round with the globe of heaven; wait till to- 
morrow about this time, when the heavenly globe will reach the 
same position which it had when you arrived here, and you will 
find your basket again ! ’ When God was about to bring the 
deluge upon our earth. He took two stars out of the- firmament ; 
through the holes which were thereby made in the firmament, 
the waters gushed forth. . . . When God made the flood to 
cease He put two stars in the holes, and the water was prevented 
from streaming down.” 

And now for the Talmud’s arithmetical lore : In the town 
of Either, in the Holy Land, there were four hundred colleges; 
in each college there were four hundred masters ; and each mas- 
ter had four hundred pupils.” — In the great city of Rome there 
are three hundred and sixty-five streets; in each street there are 
three hundred and sixty-five palaces ; and in each palace there 
is a stairway of three hundred and sixty-five steps ; and at each 
step there is laid up as much provision as to suffice for the main- 
tenance of the whole world.” — King Janai had a town on the 
mountain of the King; from this town they exported every Fri- 
day sixty thousand tons of tunfish to supply the men with them 
who were occupied in keeping the fig trees of the king’s gardens 
in order.” 

But, thirdly, the Talmud is deeply skilled in medicine: 
“ Rabbi Jacob suffered from indigestion. When Rabbi Ami — 
others say it was Rabbi Assi — heard of it, he advised him to take 
seven red grains, put them into a linen collar of an old shirt, and 
bind them together with a cord of cow’s hair, then dip the bundle 
into white pitch, burn it, and take the ashes and put them on 
the stomach, and the malady will be cured.” — “The best remedy 
against earache is the following : Fill the ear with olive oil, make 
seven wicks of wheat straw, bind it to the rind of garlic with a 
cord of cow’s hair, then light the wick and put it into the ear — 
but be careful not to burn the sufferer; and when one of the 
wicks is consumed, take the other, and continue to do so till the 
pain ceases.’^ 

So much for the scientific nature of the Talmud. Its moral 
character, notwithstanding the few moral sentences that the re- 
viewer has with difficulty culled from the two thousand, nine 
hundred and forty-seven pages is on a par with its scientific 
learning. The reviewer accuses the investigators of the Talmud 
that they mistook the grimy stone caricatures over our cathedral 


lESAT NASSAR. 


584 

for the saints within. — Let us enter into the cathedral of the Tal- 
mud and see these saints. 

The first of them is the holy Rabbi Yehudah, the compiler of 
the Mishna, who when asked why he was called The Holy 
Rabbi ” gave a reply which I cannot translate, but suffice it to 
say that he based his claim to be considered holy because he 
had never done what the wildest Arab in the desert would have 
been ashamed to do. 

Rabbi Abuha is said to have been so gross an eater that a 
“ fly could not rest upon his forehead.” — Rabbis Ami and Assi 
ate so much that the hair fell from their heads. — Rabbi Simeon 
ate so much that he lost his senses. 

To Rabbi Simeon came a Gentile with a golden vessel ; says 
the saint : it is brass, and buys it for four pieces of silver ; but 
whilst giving the Gentile the money, cheats him out of one 
piece — giving him three instead of four. 

Rabbi Gahanna bought one hundred barrels from a Gentile. 
By mistake the Gentile gave him one hundred and twenty bar- 
rels. The saint sees the mistake, and says: ‘‘I will not count 
them, I rely upon you,” but in paying him, he also cheats him 
out of one piece of silver. 

Rabbi Yohanan suffered from toothache. He went to a 
Gentile woman who prepared a remedy against that malady. 
She gave the Rabid something that removed the pain as often as 
he went to her. He asked her: “ What shall I do if I have pain 
on the Sabbath, for then I cannot come to you and be 
cured ? ” The woman replied : “ If you will take your solemn 
oath that you will not divulge my secret, I will tell you what 
you must do.” The Rabbi swore in this wise : I swear io the 
God of Israel I will not divulge your secret f upon which she told 
him the secret. The following morning, on the Sabbath-day, he 
openly declared to the whole congregation the secret, and added : 

I have sworn to the God of Israel I will not reveal the secret^ 
but I have not sworn that I will not 7'eveal it to the people of 
Israeli 

If the shining lights of the Talmud were such gross and dis- 
honest men, it is not surprising that the pages of the book should 
be defiled by so much that is abominable and improper — Home 
and Syfiagogue, The Religious Tract Society of London^ England. 


APPENDIX. 


585 


CHAPTER XIII. 


JESUS SUBJECT TO HIS PARENTS. 

And it came to pass after three days, they found Jesus in the 
Temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers; both hearing them 
and asking them questions. And all that heard him, were amazed 
at his understanding and his answers. — And when his parents saw 
him, they were astonished, and his Mother said unto him : Son, 
why hast thou thus dealt with us ? Behold thy Father and I 
sought thee sorrowing. — And he said unto them : How is it that 
ye sought me ? Wist ye not that I must be in my Father’s house, 
or in the things of my Father? — And he went down with them 
and came to Nazareth, and he was subject unto them. And his 
mother kept all these things in her heart. — Luke ii, 

Jesus’ Denunciation of the Unfilial Teachings of the 
Rabbis. — And Jesus said unto the Pharisees and Scribes: Ye 
hypocrites ! Moses said : Honor thy father and thy mother. He 
that speaketh evil of father and mother let him die the death (be 
slain). — But ye say: If a man shall say to his father or his 
mother : That, wherewith thou mightest have been profitted by 
me, is Corban, that is to say. Given to God ; ye no longer suffer 
him to do aught for his father or his mother ; making void the 
word of God by your traditions, which ye have delivered. And 
many such things ye do. — Mark vii. 

Rabbinical Doctrines on Filial Duty. — He that cur- 
seth his father or his mother is not guilty, unless he curses them 
with express mention of the name of Jehovah. — Mishnah Sank, 
vii, 8. 

Rabbinism gives preference to a spiritual before a natural 
parent, or rather to one who teaches the law before a father. In 
case of loss, of difficulties or of captivity, a teacher (of the law) 
was to be cared for before a father, since to the latter we owed 
only our existence in this world, but to the former the life of the 
world to come. — Mishnah Bab. Mez. ii. 1 1 . Eder. Jew. Soc. Life. 

Jesus and the Jewish Secret Doctrines. — Jesus said : 
Woe unto you lawyers; for ye took away the key of knowledge. 
Luke iii. — Wherefore whatsoever ye have said in the darkness. 


S86 


lESAT NASSAR. 


shall be heard in the light ; and what ye have spoken in the ear 
in the inner chambers, shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 

Not for the Common People. — Moses confined the gift of 
prophecy to an initiated chosen few, the seventy elders; as he 
also did the priesthood to the sons of Levi. But with Moses 
himself Y H V H spoke mouth to mouth, and not in dark 
speech eF. 

In the Ancient Secret Learning were teachings as to the 
Deity, its essence and nature, names, attributes, revelation and 
the spiritual world ; also teachings as to magical arts, the exor- 
cism of evil spirits, healing by the use of the Name of the Deity, 
by laying on of hands, talisman, etc., such perhaps as existed 
among the Chaldean priests, black magic or necromancy and the 
practical Qabbalah. It also contained secret doctrines as to the 
creation and governance of the world by the Deity and the 
spiritual energies, the angels, and their relation to it, to man and 
to nations. The interpretation of the Hebrew Sacred Writings, 
original sin, sacrifice, atonement, forgiveness, redemption, retribu- 
tion, the Messiah and his kingdom on our earth, accounts of the 
heavenly Jerusalem and its Temple, doctrines as to the soul, hell, 
death, heaven, the resurrection from the dead, the judgment day, 
the kingdom of heaven, the future world, etc. 

These doctiines were kept secret to prevent any misconcep- 
tion and misuse of them by the unlearned and unmetaphysical 
minds, who would perhaps have been led away by them from the 
truth. And, in uneducated minds, they certainly would have 
tended to produce heterodoxy from the formal Hebrew religion. 
From such incapacity and heterodoxy, and from the Jewish mind 
becoming influenced by Persian and Hellenistic thought after 
the conquests of Alexander the Great and his successors, and the 
arising of the school of Alexandria, the orthodox Judaism had 
much to fear. 

This apprehension finally became formulated into : ‘‘ Do not 
discuss the Ma-a-seh Merkabeh even in the presence of one 
pupil, except he be a wise and intelligent man; and then, only the 
headings of the chapters are to be given him.’^ Such a student 
also had to be not under forty years of age. Also, ‘‘ Do not 
discuss the Ma-a’seh Be’reshreth in the presence of two.” — Qab- 
balah by Isaac Myers, LL,B,, etc., etc. 


APPENDIX. 


587 


CHAPTER XIV. 


THE FIRST TEMPTATION. 

Rabbiolatry of the Jews. — In ancient times, there was a 
custom among the Jews, that when any one of them met a mem- 
ber of the Sanhedrim, even at such a distance as only brought 
him into sight, he was obliged to stand aside, and bow himself 
before the Sanhedrist and pay him great homage. 

It happened, that all the Jewish Sanhedrim and Khakhomim, 
i. e., ecclesiastical sages, were going together in procession. So, 
according to custom, all the Jews who saw them, stood aside in 
an attitude of worship, and bowed themselves down before their 
rulers. Yeshu (Jesus) also stood among all the Jews; but did 
not bow himself. On the contrary, he laughed at them, and 
stood with such a proud and fearless bearing, that it was quite 
terrible. 

The Sanhedrim and Khakhomim were very angry, but no one 
said a word to him. And when they had come to their place, 
some asked : Whose son is this bold young man ? 

Rabbi Akeeva went to Maryam the mother of Jesus, and 
said to her : I adjure you by the immortal God of Heaven, that 
you reveal to me sincerely, your past as well as your present. If 
you reveal this to me, I promise you eternal life in the future 
world. 

Maryam replied : Swear thou to me by the Name of God. 
Then Rabbi Akeeva swore with his mouth, but instantly annulled 
the oath in his heart, and asked her : What is the matter with 
thy Son ? She answered: I am Maryam the wife of Pape (High 
Priest) but I eloped with Youseph Pandar . — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri. 

Children of Proselytes. — The distinction was made by the 
Rabbis in regard to proselytes whose children, if begotten before 
their conversion to Judaism, were said to be unclean ; ” if born 
after that event, to have been born “ in holiness ; ” both parents 
were required to profess Judaism. — Eder. Jew, Life. 

Jewish Modus Operandi. — At the time of Philo the number 
of Jews in Egypt amounted to no less than one million. In 


lESAT NASSAR. 


s88 

Alexandria they occupied two out of the five quarters of the 
town. They lived under rulers of their own, almost in a state 
of complete independence. I'heir’s was the quarter Delta along 
the seashore. The supervision of navigation both by sea and 
river was wholly entrusted to them. In fact the large export 
trade, especially in grain — and Egypt was then the granary of 
the world — was entirely in their hands. The provisioning of 
Italy and of the world was the business of the Jews. 

It is a curious circumstance as illustrating how little the his- 
tory of the world changes, that during the troubles at Rome, the 
Jewish bankers of Alexandria were able to obtain, from their 
correspondents, earlier and more trustworthy political tidings 
than any one else. This enabled them to declare themselves in 
turn for Caesar and for Octavius, and to secure the full political 
and financial results flowing from such policy; just as the great 
Jewish banking houses, at the beginning of this century, were 
similarly able to profit by earlier and more trustworthy news of 
events than the general public could obtain . — Edersheim s Jewish 
Social Life, 

Son of Man Expected by the Hebrews. — From the state- 
ment of Josephus we know that the prophecies of Daniel were 
especially resorted to, and a mass of the most interesting, though 
tangled apocalyptic literature, dating from that period shows what 
had been the popular interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy. The 
title “ Son of Man ” was familiar to those who had drawn their 
ideas of the Messiah from the pages of Daniel. The popular 
apocalyptic literature at that period, especially the “ Book of 
Enoch,” not only kept the designation in popular memory, but 
enlarged on the judgment which He was to execute on Gentile 
kings and nations. The following will serve as a specimen. 

And this Son of Man ” whom thou hast seen shall stir up 
the mighty from their layers, and the powerful from their thrones, 
and shall loose the bridles of the mighty, and break in pieces 
the teeth of sinners. And He shall drive the kings from their 
thrones, and from their empires if they do not exalt nor praise 
Him, nor gratefully own from whence the kingdom has been en- 
trusted to them. He shall drive away the face of the mighty, 
and shame shall fill them : darkness shall be their dwelling, and 
worms their bed, and they shall have no hope of rising from their 
beds; because they do not exalt the name of the Lord of 


APPENDIX. 


589 

Spirits. . . . And they shall be driven forth out of the homes 
of His congregation and of the faithful . — Book of Enochs xlvi., 
4-8. Eder. Jew, Soc. Life. 

Who had the Power? — And the Devil led Jesus up, and 
showed him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in a moment 
of time. And the Devil saith unto Jesus: To thee will I give 
all this authority, and the glory of them ; for it hath been de- , 
livered unto me, and to whomsoever I will, will I give it. If thou 
therefore wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine. And Jesus 
answered and said unto him : — It is written : Thou shalt worship 
the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve . — Luke iv. 


CHAPTER XV. 


THE REVELATION. 

Thou that dwellest between the Cherubim shine forth ! — 
Psalms Ixxx. Now Moses used to take the Tent of Meeting 
and pitch it afar off from the camp. But his minister Joshua, the 
Son of Nun, departed not out of the Tent. And it came to pass, 
that when Moses was gone into the Tent, that the Pillar of Cloud 
appeared. 

Then Moses heard the voice from between the Cherubim, and 
the Lord spake unto Moses face to face. — Ex. vii. and xxxiii. 

No man hath seen God at any time . — John i. 

David went to Kirjeath-Jearim of Judah, to bring from thence 
the Ark of God, the Jehovah that dwelleth between the Cheru- 
bim which is called by the Name of Jehovah of hosts. — //. Sam. 
vii. L. Chron. xiii. 

Against the unnecessary pronunciation of Y H V H (Jeho- 
vah) the Third Commandment was made, and an Israelite 
always uses Lord (Adonai) in place of it, hence the rendering 
‘‘ Lord ” in the English version : whilst the lowest designation or 
the Deitv in Nature, the more general term Elohim is translated 
‘‘ God.” ^ 

In the Qabbalah, the name Y H V H (Jehovah) expresses a 
He and a She, two persons in one Deity, i. e.^ the Unity of the 


59 ^ 


lESAT NASSAU. 


Holy One, blessed be Hu, i, e , He nnd His Shekhenah. See 
also the Jewish liturgy for Pentecost, also the daily: “In the 
Name of Unity, of the Holy and blessed Hu and his Shekhenah, 
the hidden and concealed Hu, blessed be Y H V H forever.’* 
Hu is said to be masculine and Ya H feminine; together they 
make the One Y H V H (/, ^., Jehovah). The Shekhenah is 
always considered in the Qabbalah as feminine. 

“ Every thing existing ” says the Zohar (III. 29 a) “ can only 
be the work of the male and female.” “Behold now that I, I am 
He ” that is the Holy Blessed be He, and his Shekhenah where- 
by it is said : a ’ nee v ’ hu, [i. e., I and He). 

Hillel, the elder, said : When a ’ ?iee ; i. e , I Ain ^ is here, ALL 
are here. But if a, nee^ I Am ^ is not here, who is here ? Because 
happiness is not perfect, so long as the Shekhenah does not rest 
in the Holy Land. 

The Shekhenah, although she stands to the other lights of the 
creation like the soul to the body, yet she still stands to the Holy 
blessed be He, like the body to the soul; but the Holy, blessed 
be He ! is Life and She is Life. As He is King, so She is Queen. 
And as the inner nature of Y H V H (Jehovah) is hidden ; there- 
fore He is only named with the Name of the Shekhenah. 

The Matroneethah is the Shekhenah, the Real Presence or 
Glory of the Deity, which visibly rested, according to the Old 
Testament, over the Hebrew Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of 
Holies. It is the Kingdom or Government of the Deity upon our 
Earth. Its angel is the Great Presence Angel, called Metatron ; 
its Divine Name is the full Name (Jehovah). Its special in- 
fluence is over the Congregation of Israel. The Matroneethah 
is the Mediatrix between God and Man. She is the way to the 
Great Tree, the Mighty Tree of Life. All services from here be- 
low, go first to the Matroneethah, and from there to the King. 
And by Her is everything set forth. He delivered everything to 
the Matroneethah. Behold the idol worshipping nations do not 
find any respect from Her. The Holy Blessed be He with the 
Shekhenah has created the Universe. So the Holy, Blessed be 
He! has a Son born to Him by the Matroneethah. Who is 
he? Moses said: Ye (Israel) are the children of Y H V H 
(Jehovah) your Elohim (Gods), Deut, xiv, i. The King without 
the Matroneethah cannot be called King . — Qabbalah by Isaac 
Myer, LL.B, 


APPENDIX. 


S9I 

Shekhenah or Shekhentha, the abiding Presence. Yekara, the 
exce'lent glory. The allusion to the Voice from the excellent 
glory ” must have been to the Yekara. The varied uses of the 
Shekhenah and Yekara in the Targum (Interpretation) of Isa. vi. 
is very remarkable. In ver. 5 the prophet dreads because he has 
seen the Yekara of the Shekhenah, while in ver. 6 the coal is 
taken from before the Shekhentha which is upon the throne of 
the Yekara, a remarkable expression which occurs often ; so 
especially in Ex. xvii. 16. — We give a list of the chief passages 
in which the two terms are used in the Targum Onelos, viz. : 

Shekhenah. — Gen. ix. 27 — Ex. xvii. 7, 16 — xx. 21 — xxv. 8 — 
xxix. 45, 46 — xxxiii. 3, 5, 14-16, 20 — xxxiv. 6, 9 — Numb. v. 3 
— vi. 25 — xi. 20 — xiv, 14, 42 — xxiii. 21 — xxxv, 34 — Deut. i. 42 — 
hi. 24 — iv.39 — ^5 — Sj ^3? 24 — 

6, Ti — xxiii. 5 — xxvi. 2 — xxxii. 10 — xxxiii. 26. 

Yekara. — Gen. xvii. 22 — xviii. 33— xxviii. 13 — xxxv. 13 — Ex. 
hi. I, 6 — xvi. 7, 10 — xvii. 16 — xviii. 5 — xx. 18, 21 — xxiv. 10, ii, 
17 — xxix. 43 — xxxiii. 18, 20, 23 — xl. 34, 38 — Lev. ix. 4, 6, 23 — 
Numb. X. 36 — xii. 8 — xiv. 14, 22 . — Edersheim JI, App. 

Mohamedans Acknowledge only a Single God. — The 
Mohamedans of Palestine at least, besides the confession of 
faith. La Ilaha il 'Allah — there is no god but Allah — also say. 
La Ilaha ilia Hoo — there is no god but He. 

Probable Derivation of Names Shekhenah, Shekhet 
and Isis. — The name Shekhenah, or Shekhintah, may be a cor- 
ruption of the Arabic or Aramaic word, Shekhetnah, or Shekhat- 
nah — our Chieftainess. The name of the Egyptian goddess, 
Shekhet, may have been derived from the same source. Shekhet, 
under this name was the goddess of cruelty and slaughter, as 
distinguished from Isis, under which name she was the goddess 
of kindness and life. Isis may have been derived from the 
Arabic, Ayshey, or Aysha — she who lives. It is not improbable 
that electricity, as a mild current, was worshipped under the 
name of Isis, and as a strong, death-dealing current, it was wor- 
shipped under the name of Shekhet, the arbitrary chieftainess, — 
The authors. 

The Shekhenahs of the Ark and of Solomon’s Temple. 
— A recent writer has discovered that Moses was acquainted 
with some of the phases of electricity, which have only of late 


592 


lESAT NASSAR. 


been made known to modern science. The investigator states 
that when Moses built his box for the commandment tablets he 
rejected the common cedar and other native woods, and chose 
fir-wood, which had to be imported by the Phoenician merchants 
from the southern part of Europe. It appears that fir-wood is 
among all timber the best non-conductor for electricity. Further- 
more, Moses had this box lined inside and outside with beaten 
gold, thus converting the Ark of the Covenant into a very expen- 
sive but perfect I.eyden jar, or storage battery. Gold is one of 
the best conductors of electricity, and no modern electrician could 
have improved upon Moses’ fir and gold box. The carbon in the 
fir of the Ark of the Covenant charged the storage battery. 
Aaron improved upon this by the building of poles 50 ells (150 
feet) high. These poles were covered with beaten gold, and gold 
chains were hung from the poles to the Ark by which he secured 
a complete and powerful electrical connection. His sons were 
killed without wounds or bruises, by fire breaking out of the Ark. 
The investigator asserts that in order to deal death from this ap- 
paratus Aaron had only to remove the costly camel’s hair carpets, 
which were almost perfect non-conductors of electricity, and make 
the culprit stand on terra Jirma. That some of the members of 
revolting tribes of the Israelites were thus electrocuted is, also, a 
matter of Biblical record. In building the Temple, Solomon 
found that copper would do as well as gold. He had the Temple 
covered with copper, and copper water pipes led to the cisterns 
inside the Temple. On the roof of the Temple a number of gilt 
spears were placed in vertical positions from sixteen to twenty 
feet high, which looks very much as if Moses and Solomon were 
before Franklin in knowledge of the lightning rod. Another in- 
teresting discovery is telephonic connection between the ruins of 
two Egyptian temples. It is evident that the Egyptians knew a 
great many things that modern science has only re-discovered. 
Granting that Moses was familiar with the practical applications 
of electricity it would explain a number of occurrences that have 
hitherto been looked upon as miraculous . — From the Chicago 
Israelite Aug. 18, 1894. Rev. Dr. Isaac M. Wise, Editor. 

The Glory in the Egyptian Temples. — For often from 
a distance she had seen the curtain of the sanctuary pushed aside, 
and the statue of Serapis with the Kalathos on his head, and a 
figure of Cerberus at his feet, visible in the half-light of the holy 


APPENDIX. 


593 


of holies ; and a ray of light, flashing through the darkness as by 
a miracle, would fall upon his brow and kiss his lips when his 
goodness was sung by the priests in hymns of praise. At other 
times the tapers by the side of the god would be lighted or ex- 
tinguished spontaneously. — The Sisters, by George Ebers. 

A few years ago it was announced that an electric battery 
had been found in one of the ancient Egyptian temples or 
tombs, and had been deposited in the British Museum. 

While Krates was at his work not a word passed between 
him and the High Priest. At length he laid down the hammer 
and said : I do not much like work of this kind, but this, I think 
is successful at any rate. Any temple servant, hidden here 
behind the altar, can now light or extinguish the lamps without 
the illusion being detected by the sharpest. Go now, and stand 
at the door of the great hall, and speak the word. 

Klea heard the High Priest accede to this request, and cry in 
a chanting voice : Thus he commands the night, and it becomes 
day, and the extinguished taper and lo ! it flames with bright- 
ness. If indeed thou art nigh Oh Serapis ! manifest thyself to 
us. 

At these words a bright stream of light flashed from the Holy 
of Holies, and again was suddenly extinguished when the High 
Priest sang: Thus showest thou thyself as light to the children 
of truth, but dost punish with darkness the children of lies. The 
Sisters, George Ebers, 

Solomon built for the Ark within, a place for an Oracle. And 
the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Oracle of 
the House, into the Most Holy Place. And when they lifted up 
their voices with the trumpets and cymbals, the House was filled 
with a cloud. — I. Kings viii, II, Chron. v. 

The widow’s son, Hiram Abiff of Tyre, cast for the Cabbalistic 
Temple of King Solomon, two high pillars or phylons of bronze, 
their capitals were of pomegranates and lily work : the lily, most 
likely the lotus, an emblem of life, white or male on the right 
side; the pomegranate, emblem of fecundity and plasticity, red or 
female, on the left side. The first was called Yakheen, the latter 
Boaz. Solomon engraved on the walls of his Temple likenesses 
of the male and female principles ; to adumbrate this mystery, 

38 


594 


lESAT NASSAR. 


such it is said, were the figures of the Cherubin. — Qabbalah^ by 
Isaac Meyer ^ LL.B. 

The Egyptian temples are always dedicated to the Trinity, or 
Triad : the first is the male principal, the second is the female 
princijKd and the third the offspring of these two. The temple 
itself is nothing but a Trinity in person. The portico represents 
the Homs, and the two towers of the temple, Osiris and Isis ; the 
two Obelisks represent the beauty and the strength, i. e., the 
man and the woman. King Solomon who was initiated into the 
mysteries of the Egyptian religion, has used two columns in the 
temple of God at Jerusalem, and called the one Boaz and the 
other Jakin, which have the same meaning. — Professor Dimitrius 
Moscanos, Egyptological Society of Cairo, 

Behold I have laid in Zion, for a foundation, a Stone* 
— Isa. xxviii. 

The Stone of Israel. — Gen, xlix. 

Preskncf. of Deities in Sacred Stones. — The sacred stone 
is not merely a token that the place is frequented by a God, it is 
also a permanent pledge that in this place he consents to enter 
into stated relations with men and to accept their service. 

The sacred Stone is more than an altar, for in Hebrew and 
Canaanite sanctuaries the altar, does not supersede the pillar, the 
two are found side by side, in the same sanctuary, the altar as a 
piece of sacrificial apparatus, and the pillar as a visible symbol 
or embodiment of the presence of the Deity. Jacob’s pillar is 
more than a mere landmark, for it is annointed, just as idols were 
in antiquity. And the pillar itself, not the spot on which it stood, 
is called, ‘‘ The house of God ” as if the Deity were conceived 
actually to dwell within the Stone, or manifest himself therein to 
his worshippers 

Of course, not the rudest savage believes that, in setting up 
a sacred stone, he is making a new God ] what he does believe 
is that the God comes into the Stone, dwells in it, so that for 
practical purposes, the Stone is thenceforth an embodiment of 
the God and may be spoken of and dealt with as if it were the 
God himself. 

A God and a Goddess were often worshipped together, and 
then each would have a pillar. Solomon set up two brazen pil- 


APPENDIX. 


595 


lars before his Temple at Jerusalem. As he named them, “The 
Stablisher,” and, “ In him is strength ” they were doubtless sym- 
bols of Jehovah. 

Caverns and clefts in the earth, may not seldom have been, 
like the cleft at Hieropolis, more than mere adjuncts to the Sanc- 
tuary, and may have been chosen as places of worship because 
through them the God ascended and descended to and from the 
outer world. Where it does exist, it is a place of oracle, as the 
Holy of Holies, was at Jerusalem, and therefore cannot be 
looked upon in any other light than as the part of the sanctuary 
where the God is most immediately present. 

We come to the conclusion, that in most cases, Sacred Stones 
are not naturally holy, but are arbitrary erections which become 
holy because the God consents to dwell in them. We also find 
a widespread idea, persisting even in the ritual of the Jewish 
Day of Atonement, that the Altar (which is only a more modern 
form of the Sacred Stone) requires to be consecrated with blood, 
and periodically reconstructed in the same way. In fact it is the 
sacred blood that makes the stone holy and a habitation of divine 
life; as in all the other parts of ritual, man does not begin by 
persuading his God to dwell in the Stone, but by a theurgic pro- 
cess he actually brings divine life to the Stone. — IV, Robertson 
Smith's Religion of the Semites. 

The Phoenicians were not idolaters in the ordinary sense of 
the word ; that is to say they did not worship images of their 
deities. In the temple at Melkarth at Gades, there was no 
material emblem of the god at all, with the exception of an ever- 
burning fire. Elsewhere conical stones called boetyli, were dedi- 
cated to the various deities, and received a certain qualified 
virtue . — Religion of the Phoeiiiciafis., Rawlinson. 

It has been proposed to explain the word boetulus as equi- 
valent to Beth-el, House of God — and to regard the 1 hoenicians 
as believing that a deity dwelt in stone. — Kenrick, Phoenicia^ f. 
323, note 4 ; Rawlinson' s Religion of the Ancient World, p. 1 17, 
note 9. 

In the Jewish Temple at Jerusalem, built under the patronage 
of the Persian monarchs, Cyrus and Darius Hystaspes ; as also 
in the temple built later by Herod the Great, there was no ark 
in the most Holy Place. In this recess there was nothing but 


lESAT NASSAR. 


596 

the natural rock, the Eben Shatheyah, i. e,, stone of the separated. 
This rock was reported to cover the pit on which the world was 
founded. — J£der. Vol. /. 

This rock, Eben Shatheyah, according to Edersheim’s descrip- 
tion, corresponds to what is now called the Sakhra — the rock — in 
the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem. The mosque is called Kubbet 
e ’Sakhra — dome of the rock. A flight of stairs leads down to an 
almost circular cave in the rock, and through the roof of the cave 
a shaft extends to the surface of the rock. A large round slab of 
marble in the centre of the floor of the cave covers some cistern 
or another cave, for on stamping on this slab a hollow sound is 
heard. The Mohamedans say that there is a well underneath, 
and call it Beer el Arwah — well of the souls or spirits — The 
Authors, 

The oracle of the Breastplate was not heard after the death 
of the High Priest, John Hyrcanus, B. C. 1160. — Jos, Ant. 
III., VIIL 

How THE ShEKHENAH CAME TO BE IN THE JEWISH TeMPLE IN 
Egypt. — When Onias,son of the High Priest Onias III., was de- 
prived of the succession to that office, by Antiochus Eupator, B. C. 
160, he went to Egypt, where he conceived the idea of establish- 
ing a rival temple to the one at Jerusalem; Having used the 
Jewish influence in favor of the King of Egypt, during that 
monarch’s wars against Celesyria and Phoenicia, when he was 
in power ; Onias now first wisely selected the best site for his 
purpose, and then claimed the co-operation of Ptolemy Philome- 
ter and his Queen Cleopatra, 

They replied : “ Thou desirest leave to be given thee to purge 
that temple, which is fallen down at Leontopolis in the Nomus 
(district) of Heliopolis, and which is named from the country, 
Bubastis. We wonder that it should be pleasing to God, to have 
a temple erected in a place so unclean and so full of sacred ani- 
mals. But since thou sayest that Isaiah the prophet foretold this 
long ago, I give thee leave to do it, if it may be done accord- 
ing to your law, and so that we may not appear to have at all 
offended God therein.” 

The ruined Temple of the Egyptian Godess Shekhet, the 
Aphrodite of foreigners, was thus fitted up for Jewish use, and the 
Shekhenah or manifestation of Yah-veh the female principle of 


APPENDIX. 


597 


creation, appeared in this Temple of Onias. This manifestation 
was lost to Solomon’s Temple at Jerusalem, when Jeremiah car- 
ried away the Ark, and hid it. — Jos. Ant. X. VI f, and XIII. 
Ill Wars, VII XII, Macabees. 

The Shekhenah Lost in Jerusalem Appears in Egypt. 
— Therefore he saith; The earth will be desolate, because the 
Shekhenah will remove itself to the ruin. — Talmud Beresheth. 

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt, that 
speak the language of Canaan ; one shall be called the city ot 
destruction, (or Heres, or the Sun). — Isa. xix. 

Why the Shekhenah came to Israel. — After the punish- 
ment for the sin of the golden calf the Jews became very sub- 
missive, and God had mercy on them, and His love to them be- 
came very great. And His love to their Lord Moses also became 
very great, until Blessed be His Name wanted that Kaveyokhel 
(one of God’s names) should forsake all the angels, and dwell only 
with the Jews. Therefore God commanded the ark to be made 
that the Shekhenah should rest among them. It is written, God 
desired the love of my fellowship with Him. He wanted the half 
of my sacrifices. Kaveyokhel God ate together with me of the 
same banquet (soodeh.) The altar ate up the fat and I the flesh. 
— Makhzer Shil Pesakh. 

The name Kave-yokhel may have been derived from the 
Arabic kawi, strong, powerful, and yuhil, to untie or let loose, or 
from yukhalli to leave, let go, thus : Power let loose. — The 
authors. 

The Holy Family in Egypt. — So Joseph, with Mary and 
Jesus, arose and went to Egypt. In the length of the journey 
the girths of the saddle (of the laws of Judaism) ‘ ‘broke. And 
a balsam is produced in that country from the sweat (diligent 
medical research) which ran down from the Lord Jesus. And 
the Lord Jesus did very many miracles (wonderful cures) in 
Egypt.” — Apoc. Gos. Inf. 

“Then said Jesus to his Mother: There is no alternative 
for me, but to escape from the Sanhedrim. So he went to Alex- 
andria in Egypt, and remained there a long time. And Jesus 
learned the Name ” (i. e., the secret of the Shekhenah or Yah- 
veh), “ And by means of this knowledge, he led astray a great 


598 


lESAT NASSAR. 


number of bad Jews, and also others who were honorable people/^ 
— Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri, 

The Jews say unto Pilate: But he said, I can destroy the 
temple of God. Pilate saith unto them : What sort of temple is 
that of which Jesus speaketh ? The Jews say unto him: That 
which Solomon was forty-six years in building, he said he would 
destroy. — Gos, Nico. IV. 

Faith of the Heathen Egyptians. — He (the ordinary 
Egyptian) had a strong and abiding conviction that his fate after 
death would depend on his conduct during his life on earth, and 
especially on his observance of the moral law and performance of 
his various duties. 

The real essential unity of the divine nature was taught and 
insisted on. The sacred texts spoke of a single being, the sole 
producer of all things in heaven and earth, himself not produced 
of any,” “the only true living God, self originated,” “who exists 
from the beginning,” “ who has made all things, but has not him- 
self been made.” This being seems never to have been repre- 
sented by any material, even symbolical form. It is thought that 
he had no name, or if he had, that it must have been unlawful 
to pronounce it . — The Religion of the Aiicient Egyptians j Rawl- 
inson's Religions of the Ancient World j Lenormant^ Manuel 
dHistoire Ancienne^ vol. I.,f. 522 — Records of the East, vol. 11. , 
pp. 129-132/ vol. IV, pp. 90-200/ vol. VI., 100. — Wilkinson, 
Ancient Egyptians, vol. IV., p. 178. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


THE ABJURATION. 

Feast of the Shekhenah. — According to Jewish tradition, 
the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, had first appeared 
to Israel on the 15th Tisri, the first day of the feast of Tabernacles. 
On that day Moses was also said to have come down from the 
Mount and announced to the people that the tabernacle of God 
was to be reared among them. We know that the dedication of 
Solomon’s temple and the descent of the Shekhenah took place 
at this feast. — i Kings, vii. Chron. vii. 


APPENDIX. 


599 


During the whole of that week (between the New Year and 
the Day of Atonement) the high priest had to practice the var- 
ious priestly rites, such as sprinkling the blood, burning the in- 
cense, lighting the lamp, offering the daily sacrifice, etc. For 
every part of that day’s services devolved on the high priest, and 
he must not make any mistakes Some of the elders of the 
Sanhedrim were to see to it that the high priest fully understood 
and knew the meaning of the service, otherwise they were to in- 
struct him in it. On the Eve of the Day of Atonement the var- 
ious sacrifices were brought before him, that there might be noth- 
ing strange during the services of the morrow. 

Finally, they bound him by a solemn oath not to change any 
thing in the rites of the day. This was chiefly for fear of the 
Saducean notion that the incense should be lighted before the 
high priest entered the most holy place ; while the Pharisees 
held that this was to be done only within the most holy place 
itself. The Saducees appealed to Lev. xvi, 2, and explained 
that the expression, I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy 
seat,” in a rationalistic sense as applying to the cloud of in- 
cense, and not to that of the Divine Presence ; while the Phari- 
sees appealed to verse 13. 

The bullock for the high priest’s sin offering stood between the 
porch and the altar. He laid both his hands upon the head and 
confessed: ‘‘Ah, Jehovah, I have committed iniquity; I have 
transgressed; I have sinned — I and my house. Oh, then, Jeho- 
vah, I entreat thee cover over the iniquities, the transgressions 
and the sins which I have committed, transgressed, and sinned 
before Thee, I and my house — even as it is written in the law of 
Moses Thy servant : “For on that day will he cover over for 
you to make you clean from all your transgressions before Jeho- 
vah, and ye shall be cleansed.” 

In this confession the name of Jehovah occurred three times. 
Other three times it was pronounced in the confession which the 
high priest made for the priesthood, and a seventh time was it 
uttered when he cast the lot as to which of the two goats was to 
be “for Jehovah.” Once again he spoke it three times in the 
confession over the so-called “ scape-goat,” which bore the sins of 
the people. All these ten times tlie high priest pronounced the 
very name of Jehovah, and as he spoke it those who stood near 
cast themselves with their faces on the ground, while the multi- 


6oo 


lESAT NASSAR. 


tude responded: ‘^Blessed be the Name” (Shekhenah) ‘‘the 
glory of his kingdom is for ever and ever.” 

Formerly it had been the practice to pronounce the so-called 
“ineffable name” distinctly, but afterwards when some attempted 
to make use of it for magical purposes, it was spoken with bated 
breath. Indeed the right pronunciation has been lost, and is a 
matter of dispute; all that we have in the Hebrew being Y. H. 
V. H., forming the four lettered word so-called tetragammaton. 
— EdersheM s Temple Services. 

Claims of the Hebrew Saints and Elders. — Jacob said: 
I have seen God face to face. — Gen. xxxii. Moses said: Thou 
Lord, art seen face to face, eye to eye. The Lord spake with 
Moses, face to face and said : Thou shalt see my back. Ex. 
xxiii. Nu7n. xiv. — Moses said unto the people of Israel : 
Behold the Lord our God ! we have heard his voice ; we have 
seen this day, that God doth speak with man. Then went up 
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders 
of Israel. Also they, the nobles of Israel, saw God, and did eat 
and drink. — Ex. xxiv. Deut. v. 

The Words of our Lord and Master. — Jesus said to the 
Jews: Not any man, hath seen the Father. Ye have neither 
heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. I am the Good 
Shepherd, and all that ever came before me, were thieves and 
robbers. 

Truth, came by Jesus Christ. — John i. v., vi.y x. 

Hebrew Designation of a Wicked Man, — Then Jereboam 
the son of Nebat, made a speech to the people in these words: 
“ Every place hath God in it, nor is there any determinate place 
in which He is; but He everywhere hears and sees those that 
worship him,” — Jos. Ant. VI//., viii. 

Heathen Designation of Jesus Christ. — There has ap- 
peared, in our day, a man of great virtue ; named Jesus Christ, 
who is yet living among us, and with the Gentiles is accepted as 
a prophet : but his own disciples, call him the Son of God. — 
Publius /eontulus. 

Jesus is Excommunicated and Abjures Judaism. — Rabbi 
Yehoshua Ben Parakhai, came to Egypt with his disciples, and they 
dwelt in the same inn (congregation) in which this Jesus was. 


APPENDIX. 


6oi 


And the hostess (Shekhenah) manifested great honor to them. 
Then said Ben Parakhai: As we have found favor with you, so 
may you hnd favor in the sight of God and the eyes of your 
husband. 

But Jesus said: Wherewithal shall she gain favor ? For Jesus 
taught false doctrines to the people, and said: What fools the 
Jewish sages are. The usage prevails only by order of the Jewish 
sages ; their doctrines are without foundation. 

Then the Rabbis blew four hundred trumpets, and Jesus was 
put in Kherim, (/. ^., the great excommunication and boycott of 
the synagogue. ) 

So said the God of Jesus: Trim the hair of your heads and 
beards, as Jesus used to do. 

Then Jesus raised the stones of separation, according to the 
custom of the Jews, as a witness, that he formally and publicly 
abjured the creed of Judaism and seceded from their congrega- 
tion . — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri, 

The Jewish Kherim or Great Excommunication. — To 
resist the authority of the scribes or any of their decrees, to lead 
others away from the commandments, or to what was regarded 
as a profanation of the divine Name, was sufficient to incur the 
ban ; and if a teacher was excommunicated, all his disciples were 
excommunicated with him. 

The greater excommunication (Kherim) was accompanied by 
curses, and proclaimed by the blast of the horn. 

If the person occupied an honorable position, his sentence 
was intimated in a softened manner, such as: “ It seems to me 
that thy companions are separating themselves from thee.” He 
who was similarly addressed, would only too w^ell understand its 
meaning. Henceforth he would sit on the ground, and bear him- 
self like one in deep mourning. He would allow his hair and 
beard to grow wild and shaggy, he would not bathe nor anoint 
himself^ he would not be admitted into any assembly of ten men, 
neither to public prayers, nor to the Academy. It was forbidden 
to eat or drink with such a one. People would keep at a dis- 
tance of four cubits from him as if he were a leper. If 
he died, stones were cast on his corpse; nor was he allowed the 
honor of the ordinary funeral, nor were they to mourn for him. 
The final excommunication or Kherim laid a ban of indefiaite 
duration on a man. Henceforth he was like one dead ; he was 


6o2 


lESAT NASSAR. 


not allowed to study with others ; no intercourse was to be held 
with him, he was not even to be shown the road. 

Our Lord, Jesus, is said to have been anathemised to the 
sound of four hundred trumpets. The passage does not appear 
in the expurgated editions of the Talmud. — Edersheim^ VoL II. 

Rabbi ' Entitled to Alter Scriptures to Suit Them- 
selves. — The Rabbis assert that the Law has given the power 
of adding or diminishing in those things, which pertain to the 
precepts and exhortations of the Law, according as shall appear 
right to the wise men of each generation ; even, say they, if those 
wise men should decree the right hand to be the left, or the left 
hand to be the right. — [Tah?iud., Caleb Aba.) See Caraites in 
Mod. Judaism^ by Joh7i Allen. 

Jesus in Egypt. — They (Jesus and his parents) proceeded to 
Memphis, and saw Pharaoh (/. the records of the ancient 
kings) and abode three years in Egypt. — Apoc, Gospel. 

Julius C^sar in Egypt with Hyrcanus of the Asmo- 
NEANS. — Antipater, father of Herod the Great, was a wealthy 
and influential Idumean, who became a proselyte to Judaism. 
He was entrusted with the management of affairs in Judea with 
Hyrcanus the Asmonean and High Priest, by the Roman Gov- 
ernment. Antipater, by order of Hyrcanus, became very useful 
to Julius Caesar in his war against Egypt. But it happened, that 
the Jews who dwelt in the country called Onion (neighborhood 
of Temple of Onias) would not let Antipater and Mithridates with 
their soldiers pass to Caesar. But Antipater persuaded them to 
come over to their party, because he was of the same people (a 
Jew) with them ; but chiefly by showing them the epistle of 
Hyrcanus the High Priest; wherein he exhorted them to culti- 
vate friendship with Caesar, and to supply his army with money 
and with all sorts of provisions which they wanted. When the 
Jews about Mempliis, heard that these Jews had come over to 
Caesar, they also invited Mithridates to come to them. Strabo 
saith that Hyrcanus the High Priest was also present in this ex- 
pedition. — Josephus Antiquities., xiv., viii. 


APPENDIX. 


603 


CHAPTER XVII. 


THE LOST SHEEP. 

Fate of Those who Abjured Judaism. — Thou shalt not de- 
part from the words of the Rabbis, even though they should tell 
thee of the right hand : This is the left ; or of the left hand : This 
is the right. If any man do not believe all (their doctrines) in a ^ 
right manner, he is already excluded from the sum, i, e., Israel. 
Such a person denies the foundation, and it is our duty to hate, 
despise and destroy him. 

It is the duty of all Israel, not to suffer an apostate to die a 
natural death, but to hurry him away by public execution or 
private assassination, into those torments which await him in 
another state. 

It is commanded to lay violent hands on heretics, to destroy 
them, and to thrust them down into the pit of corruption ; for 
they trouble Israel and afflict the people of God. It is com- 
manded to slay those of Israel who deny the law and the pro- 
phets. If the power is in our hands, then they are to be killed 
publicly ; if not, then we must seek by craft or deceit to accom- 
plish their death . — The Talmud Jarchi^ Bechai Nachman and 
Maimonides. 

They went to a city in which were several idols ; which, as 
soon as they came near to it, turned into hills of sand. (Material 
representations fell into disuse.) 

Jesus waylaid on his return from Egypt. — In their 
journey from hence, they came into a desert country, and were 
told it was infested with robbers; so they prepared to pass 
through it in the night. 

And as they were going along they saw two robbers in the 
road, and with them a great number of robbers who were their 
confederates, also asleep. 'Fhe names of these two robbers were 
Titus and Dumachus. And Titus said to Dumachus : I beseech 
thee, let these persons go along quietly that our company may 
not perceive any thing of them. 

But Dumachus refusing ; Titus again said. I will give thee 
forty groats, and as a pledge take my girdle (money belt) which 


6o4 


lESAT NASSAR. 


he gave him before he had done speaking ; that he might not 
open his mouth nor make a noise. — Apoc, Gospel, 

What did Jesus do; but go away and wrap himself up in his 
cloak ; so that it should not be known who he was . — Toledoth 
Yeshu Ha Nossri, 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


THE HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE. 

Jews compelled by their leaders to cast out their 
Gentile wives with their children. — And I, Nehemiah, saw 
the Jews that had married women of Ashdod and Ammon and 
Moab, and their children could not speak in the Jew’s language. 
And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain 
of them, and plucked off their hair. 

And Esdras rent his garments, and pulled off the hair of his 
head and beard, and cast himself upon the ground ; because this 
crime had reached the principal men among the people. And 
Esdras considered that, if he should command them to cast out 
their wives and children they had by them, he would not be 
hearkened to ; so he continued lying on the ground. 

And they said : Let us make an oath unto the Lord, that we 
will put away all our wives, which we have taken of the heathen, 
with their children. So Esdras arose, and took an oath of the 
chief of the priests and of the Levites of all Israel, to do after 
these things, and so they sware. 

And they made proclamation throughout Jewry and Jerusa- 
lem, unto all the children of the captivity, that they should 
gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; and that whosoever 
came not within three days, according as the elders that bare 
rule appointed, their cattle should be seized, and all their sub- 
stance should be forfeited, and appropriated to the uses of the 
Temple ; according to the sentence of the elders. 

Accordingly, they found many of the posterity of the priests, 
and Levites, and Israelites, who had a greater regard to the ob- 
servation of the law than to their natural affection, and immedi- 
ately cast out their wives, and the children which were born of 
them. — Ezra^ Nehemiah^ Esdras^ Jos. Antiq. 


APPENDIX. 


60s 

Sanhedrim plots to Compel Mary to Live with Yo- 
HANAN AND TO KiLL Jesus. — And the Sanhedrim said : On the 
Lady Maryam, no punishment must be inflicted, because the 
tyrant Youseph came to her through subtlety. Therefore her be 
trothed Yohanan may now live with her. But this Jesus is worthy 
that men should kill him. However, we can do naught to him. 
till sentence be passed against him after due examination. There- 
fore must we summon the Lady Maryam, and ask of her the his- 
tory. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri, 

Jewish law Authorizes the Murder of a Blasphemer 
WITHOUT Trial. — The Jewish law recognized a form of pro- 
cedure; when a person, caught in the commission of the crime 
of blasphemy, might be done to death without further inquiry — 
Edersheim^ Life of Jesus ^ Vol, /. 

Taking Possession of Ancient Shrines. — God said to 
Abraham : Arise and go through the land through the length and 
breadth of it and make a Khazaka in the Land. (From Arabic 
Khazak to bore a hole, rend, tear, lacerate, and signifies the act 
or driving in a stake or nail on Gentile property, whereby Israel 
lays claim and takes possession). 

Abraham built an altar for offering Isaac in the place where 
Adam the Chief had had an altar. The Toledoth Yitzhok asks : 
Why did not Abraham betimes buy a burying place for himself 
and wife, since they are both very old ? The answer is : that 
Abraham acted prudently. He said to himself : I know that 
Adam and Eve are buried in the cave, so it must be an illustrious 
place ; and Ephron may not be aware of the fact that Adam and 
Eve are buried there, and would therefore value it lightly, or not 
at all.” If I ask Ephron to sell me the cave before Sarah dies, 
he might think to himself: “There must be something in the 
cave that Abraham desires to buy it as a burying place,” he will 
therefore begin to make inquiries among the people about it, will 
find out that Adam and Eve are buried there, and consequently 
Ephron will esteem himself very highly. 

Therefore Abraham sent Sarah to Hebron when she was quite 
old, that perchance she might die there. For there, said he, is 
the cave of Adam and Eve, and when Sarah dies I can easily 
buy it of Ephron. Even if anyone should then inquire ; Why 
does Abraham desire the cave ? it will be said that he needs it 
for a burial place. Therefore Abraham acted wisely, and did not 


6o6 


lESAT NASSAR. 


at first declare that he wanted the cave, but said : Give me a 
place to bury my dead. — Talmud Bereshith, 

Jewish Commercial Government and Secret of Israel’s 
Success. — This government is carried on by two institutions, the 
Kagal or Khider-ha Kagal, the commercial government, and the 
Beth-Deen, the Talmudical court. The goverment is elective; 
but both electors and elected must have obtained a certain rank 
in the community, gained nominally by proficieney in the learn- 
ing of the Talmud, and often granted in reality to rich men for a 
money payment. 

The Kagal, or commercial government, not only directs the 
schools and internal government of the community, but super- 
vises and regulates all the affairs of the Hebrews with the non- 
Hebrew population, as it considers best for their interests. This 
power is completely arbitrary, and there can be no appeal from 
it. The authority of all external laws and regulations 

IS DENIED, AND SAID TO BE NO 1' BINDING ON HEBREWS. 

The Kagal, however, does not scruple to have recourse to the 
external authorities when necessary and practicable to assist in its 
objects. It claims to have authority over the whole territory and 
population of the district. 

The non- Hebrews who are in possession of property are 
looked upon as infringers of the rights of the chosen people of 
God. The Kagal sells their rights of living in the district to a new 
comer, and without the necessary papers, a Jew coming from 
another district would find it impossible to live or support him- 
self. 

The property of non-Hebrews is, according to the Talmud, a 
free wilderness, or as Rabbi Joseph Reuben says, ‘‘ a sort of free 
lake in which only that Hebrew can place nets who has obtained 
a right to it from the Kagal.” Thus regarding the property of 
non-Hebrews as the general property of the Hebrew community, 
the Kagal sells to the Jew the right to possess himself to this 
property, and even draws up bills of sale, and receive money from 
him. More than this, it sells the right to make profit out of in- 
dividuals, to lend them money, and to get liold of their posses- 
sions. 

Statements of this kind seem almost incredible, yet Mr. Braph- 
man, whose work is my authority (The Book of Kagal, Hebrew 
Local and U niversal Societies) quotes in full, formal acts, one selling 


APPENDIX. 


607 


the shop of a merchant, another a part of the city lands with the 
buildings that may hereafter be erected by the government, and 
another a whole Franciscan convent. After such a sale no other 
Jew can interfere without the permission of the purchaser ; and 
should a Jew purchase or get hold of })roperty belonging to a 
Christian, which had not previously been disposed of by the 
Kagal, he would have to buy it again from the Kagal before his 
rights would be recognized by the Rabbinical Court, or by his 
fellow Jews. 

Besides its power of fixing the residence of Jews, the Kagal 
claims the right to interfere with their choice of occupation, and 
to prevent them from exercising it ; and regulates even the de- 
tails of their domestic life. One of the greatest powers is the 
butchering of cattle. The Jews can eat no meat but that killed 
in accordance with precepts of Moses. But the reli- 
gious instincts of the people do not keep them so much to its 
strict observance as the active supervision of the Rabbinical 
authorities. These authorities are the more particular, as they 
collect a tax on meat, which supplies funds for commercial pur- 
poses. 

The Kagal is also authorized to impose a tax on all liquors 
sold in taverns and dram shops kept by Hebrews. This tax, of 
course, falls on the consumers. 

An instance of a tax on the whole population for the benefit 
of the Jews is found in Kilne. In the Jewish quarter there has 
long been permitted a tax on provisions for the Kagal, and a few 
years ago the Kagal succeeded in pursuading the city authorities 
to remove the public fish market to that quarter, thus laying the 
excise on the whole community. One might almost think Juda- 
ism the State religion there. — Home and the Synagogue : Relig- 
ious Tract Society^ London, England. 

Two terms are used for Israel as a congregation : Edah,” 
and Kahal,” of which the former seems to refer to Israel chiefly 
in their outward organization — what moderns would call the 
visible church — while “Kahal,” rather indicates tlie inner or 
spiritual connection. Even the LXX (translators of the Sep- 
tuagent) seem to have seen this distinction. — Edersheim, Jewish 
Social Life. 

Rabbi Solomon, the son of Isaac, in his commentary on 
Deut. xxxiii. 2, “ He shined forth from Paran,” says : Jehovah first 


6o8 


lESAT NASSAR. 


of all offered the law to the sons of Esau, but they refused to 
accept it. Upon this he went to Mount Paran, and offered it to 
the sons of Ishmael ; but they also were not pleased with it. He 
finally offered it to Israel who accepted it. The Gamora Bava 
Kama, adds: It was upon Paran that He made their money a 
common property for Israel. Farther on we read : He un- 

covered their money and exposed it for free spoil.’^ 

Brafman, a converted Israelite, published an interesting book 
entitled the Kahal. Oscar Harvard has published the modus of 
these operations as contained in the Kahal. ‘‘The Jews put up 
at auction,” he says, “ during their secret meetings held in the 
consistory, the goods of the Goyim (Gentiles). The highest 
bidder thus obtains the sole right over the property of the pro- 
prietor, who is knocked down to him, and the right to have 
recourse to every kind of scheme, intrigue, lie and deceit that 
may enable him to enter into possession of the property that the 
Consistory sold to him. Brafman published the text of several 
of these acts of sale. According to the terms of one of these, 
the Consistory in Wilna sold to Rabbi Isaac the right to seize, 
strip, despoil, rob, plunder and ruin the hospital situated at the 
end of Kaidang street, and the adjacent grounds, the property 
of the Catholic priests. This right sold to Isaac is inalienable 
for ever and ever. No Jew is allowed to compete with Isaac. 
It is enjoined upon Jews throughout the world to protect the 
right of Isaac, and a copy of the act of sale was duly sent to all 
the synagogues. — Judas Iscariot ; Minerva Publishing Company, 

The Mishna employs the term “ Kahal,” only to denote 
Israel as a whole. — Eder. Jewish Social Life, 

All Israel are brethren, and there is a sort of Free- 
masonry even in the Jewish mode or salutation. — Eder. Jewish 
Social Life. 

All Israel were brethren, and as such stood on precisely the 
same level; the eventual differences arising only from this, that 
the mass failed to realize what Israel’s real vocation was, and 
how it was to be attained. — Eder. Jewish Social Life, 

Income of the Temple Priests. — Even so liberal and en- 
lightened a statesman as Cicero inveighed against the enormous 
influx of gold from all lands to Jerusalem. Voluntary offerings 
to the temple treasury continued to the last a very large source 


APPENDIX. 


609 


of revenue. They might be brought either in the form of vows 
or of free gifts. Any object, or even a person, might be dedi- 
cated by vow to the altar. If the thing vowed were suitable, it 
would be used; if otherwise, sold, and its value given to the 
treasury. 

From Jewish traditions we gather that there must have been 
quite a race for distinction in this respect. The wood, the 
incense, the wine, the oil, and all other things requisite for the 
sacred services, as well as golden and silver vessels, were con- 
tributed with lavish hand. Certain families obtained by their 
zeal special privileges, such as that the wood they brought should 
always be first used for the altar fire ; and the case of people 
leaving their whole fortune to the temple is so often discussed, 
that it must have been a by no means uncommon occurrence. A 
good deal of this money went in the end from the temple 
treasury to them (Scribes and Pharasees). 

Besides these votive offerings and the sale of the surplusage 
of incense, flour, etc., the people were wont on the Sabbaths and 
feast days to bring voluntary contributions ‘‘ in their hand,’^ to 
the temple. Another, and very large source of revenue was 
from the profit made by the meat offerings which were prepared 
by the Levites and sold every day to the offerers. 

But by far the largest sum was derived from the half shekel 
of temple tribute which was incumbent on every male Israelite 
of age, including proselytes and manumitted slaves. As the 
shekel of the Sanctuary was double the ordinary, the half shekel 
due to the temple treasury amounted to about is. 4d. (two 
denarii or a drachma). 

Annually, on the first of Adar, the month before the Passover, 
proclamation was made throughout the country by messengers 
sent from Jerusalem of the approaching tribute. On the 15th of 
Adar the money changers opened stalls throughout the country 
to change the various coins, which Jewish residents at home or 
settlers abroad might bring. For custom had it that nothing but 
the regular half shekel of the sanctuary could be received at the 
treasury. On the 25th of Adar business was only transacted 
within the precincts of Jerusalem and of the temple, and after 
that date those who had refused to pay the impost could be pro- 
ceeded against at law, and their goods destrained (Shek. I. 3) 
the only exception being in favor of the priests. 

From heathen or Samaritan no tribute nioney was to be 

39 


6io 


lESAT NASSAR. 


received, the general rule in reference to all their offerings being 
this: ‘‘A votive and a freewill offering they receive at their 
hands, but whatever is not either a votive or a free will offering 
is not received at their hands. In support Ezra iv. 3, was quoted,’’ 
(2 Shek. I. 5.) 

The total sum derived annually from the temple tribute has 
been computed at about $400,000. During the reign of Salome- 
Alexandra, about 78 B. C., the Pharisaical party, being then in 
power, had carried an enactment by which the Temple tribute 
was to be enforced by law. 

The dispersed abroad regarded the temple as the one bond 
of their religious life. Gradually they came to regard the 
temple tribute as, in the literal sense of the words, a ransom 
for their souls.” So many were the givers, and so large their 
gifts that they were always first brought to central places, whence 
the most honorable of their number carried them as sacred am- 
bassadors to Jerusalem. The richest contributions came from 
those crowded Jewish settlements in Mesapotamia and Babylon. 
Here special treasuries for their reception had been built in the 
cities ol Nisibis and Nehardea, whence a large armed escort an- 
nually accompanied the ambassadors to Palestine. Similarly 
Asia Minor, which at one time contribated nearly $40,000 had 
its central collecting places. In the temple these moneys were 
emptied into three large chests, which were opened at each of 
the three great feasts. 

Such was the temple as restored by Herod. Yet although 
the Rabbis never weary praising its splendor, not with one word 
do any of those who were contemporary indicate that its restora- 
tion was carried out by Herod the Great. So memorable an 
event in their history is passed over with the most absolute 
silence. The first mention of it occurs in the Babylon Talmud, 
and then neither gratefully nor graciously: — (Taan. 23a; Baba, 
B. 3. b. 4a; Succ. 51 b) : — Edersheim ; Temple Services, 

Jesus Drives the Traders out of the Court that his 
Ancestors had Given as Sanctuary for all People. — ^Jesus 
went down into Capernaum ; he and his mother, his brethren 
(cousins) and his disciples, and they continued there not many 
days. And the Passover of the Jews was at hand. And Jesus went 
up to Jerusalem, and found in the Temple, those that sold oxen 
gnd sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And 


6ii 


APPENDIX. 


he drove them all out, and said unto them : Take these things 
hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise! 

The Jews (temple officials) therefore said unto him : What 
sign showest thou unto us, seeing thou doest these things? Jesus 
answered them : Destroy this Sanctuary and in three days I Avill 
raise it . — John it. 

The Temple market was undoubtedly somewhere in the Court 
of the Gentiles. All trouble and difficulty would be avoided by 
a regular market within the Temple enclosure ; where sacrificial 
animals could be purchased; having presumably been inspected, 
and all fees paid before being offered for sale. There can be little 
doubt that this market was, what in Rabbinic writings is styled, 
the Bazaars of the Sons of Annas. 

The first cleansing of the Temple by Jesus, undoubtedly pre- 
ceded the actual festive Pascal week. Many of those present, 
must have known Jesus. Scarce had he entered the Temple porch, 
and trod the court of the Gentiles; than he drove thence, what 
profanely defiled it. There was not a word said, not a hand 
raised ; as he poured, into their receptacles, the changers’ money, 
and overthrew their tables. They knew only too well how true 
his denunciations were. Nor do we wonder, that no resistance 
was offered by the people, to the action of Jesus; and that even 
the remonstrances of the priests were not direct ; but in the form 
of a perplexing question. For when the Jews (by which here as 
in many other places we are to understand rulers of the people, 
and temple officials in this instance) did gather courage to come 
forward, they ventured not to lay hands on him. It was not yet 
the time for it. 

In presence of that multitude they would not have dared it, 
even if policy had not dictated quietness within the Temple en- 
closure, when the Roman garrison, so close by in Fort Antonia, 
kept zealous watch for the first appearance of a tumult. 

Still more strangely, they did not even reprove him for what 
he had done, as if it had been wrong or improper. They only 
asked for a sign, which would warrant such assumption of au- 
thority. But this question marked two things. The essential 
opposition between the Jewish authorities and Jesus! and the 
manner in which they would carry on the contest which was 
henceforth to be waged between him and the rulers of the people. 

That first action of Jesus determined their mutual positions. 


6i2 


lESAT NASSAR. 


With that first bold purgation of the Temple, a deadly feud be- 
tween Jesus and the Jewish authorities had begun; of which, the 
sequel could not be doubted. That first action of Jesus, as against 
the rulers, must develop into a life of opposition. Their first step 
against him must lead on to the last, in his condemnation to the 
cross. — Edersheini^ Life of Jesus vol. /. 

Helena Approves Jesus’ Action. — The Queen Helena re- 
buked the learned Rabbis, and said : You must come to my house 
no more nor see my face. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


THE SECOND TEMPTATION. 

What the Priests Needed to Make the Temple a Com- 
plete Success. — The following five are mentioned by the Rabbis 
as wanting in the last Temple : the ark, the holy fire, the Shek- 
henah, the spirit of prophecy and the Urim and Thummim. — Eder, 
Temple, 

Jesus’ Favorite Haunts were on and about Olivet. 
The Admission and Lament of the Rabbis. — For three years 
and a half the Shekhenah (or visible divine presence) was on the 
Mount of Olives and calling upon them. Seek ye the Lord while 
He may be found, call upon Him while He is near! And when 
all was in vain then the Shekhenah returned to its own place — 
Eder. the Temple, 

The introduction of Christ’s temptation at the commencement 
of His ministry cannot have been derived from Jewish legend. — 
Eder, Life of Jesus ^ L, 

The Priests and Rulers Wanted Jesus’ Great Pos- 
sessions. — But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned 
one with another, saying: This is the heir; let us kill him, that 
the inheritance may be ours. — Luke xx. 

Prophecy a Valuable Aid to Further the Policy of 
Jewish Rulers. — The elders of the Jews, builded and pros- 
pered, through the prophesying of Haggai and Zachariah. 


APPENDIX. 


613 


Haggai said unto the people: Be strong, for thus saith the Lord: 

I will shake all nations, and the desirable things of all nations 
shall come, and I will fill this house with glory. The silver is 
mine, the gold is mine ; and the latter glory of this house shall 
be greater than the former. 

Zachariah said : And many nations shall join themselves unto 
the Lord in that day, and the Lord will inherit Judah as his 
portion in the holy land; and shall yet choose Jerusalem. 

Behold the man, whose name is the (Netser) Branch, and 
even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and shall sit and 
rule upon this throne, and there shall be a priest upon his throne, 
and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. — Ezra^ 
Haggai, Zachariah. 

The Pierced Stone. — It has come to be generally recog- 
nized in France and in Germany that the results of Sir Charles 
Warren’s excavations show generally that Herod’s Enclosure 
was CO- extensive with the present Haram (except perhaps on the 
North East) and the Temple itself must have occupied a position 
at or close to the present Dome of the Rock. 

In the year 70 A. D., Jerusalem was levelled to the ground. 
Only the foundation of the Temple ramparts and of the great 
towers in the Upper City were left, with a pinnacle of masonry 
at the South east angle of the Haram. About 135 A. D.,the 
city was rebuilt by Hadrian, but the area of its walls is not cer- 
tainly known. An inscription by Hadrian is built upside down 
into the south wall of the Haram, and the head of his statue 
(erected on the site of the Temple and still standing in 332 A. D., 
was found by a peasant among the stones of the highroad of 
Jerusalem. The statues of Hadrian still stood on the site of the 
Temple where the Jews came annually to anoint the ‘‘Pierced 
Stone on the Temple hill. This in the opinion of modern 
writers in the Sakhrah or sacred rock, marking the sight of the 
Holy House and pierced by a curious shaft leading through the 
roof of the cave beneath. The “ Well of Souls ” under the Sakh- 
rah is a cave which has never been seen by any one now living, 
and which is described by no ancient writer. It may perhaps be 
of little importance, but the mystery excites curiosity . — Conder in 
(Quarterly Review, April, 1894. 

Jesus Refuses to Return to Judaism and Must Die. — 
Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Parakhai sent to Jesus, and said: Return 


6i 4 ^ - lESAT NASSAR. 

from your evil way, and I will forgive you, and release you from 
the excommunication. 

But J esus answered : The Rabbi has taught us, that he who 
transgresses and also causes others to transgress, is not allowed 
to return. I have transgressed and have caused others to trans- 
gress. I have had respect to magic (science) and have led away 
many of the Jews. How then can I return ? — Toledoth Yeshu 
Ha Nossri. 

Choose between Judaism and Death. — Ou Yehude, ou 
tzeluf; i. ^., Be either a Jew or consigned to the gallows. — Jew- 
ish Doctrines. See Judas Iscariot. Minerva Pub. Comp.., New 
York. 

Nothing can Tempt Jesus. — And the tempter said unto 
Jesus: If thou art the Son of God, command this Stone, that it 
become bread. And Jesus answered unto him : Man shall not 
live by bread alone. 

It was not Moses, that gave you the bread out of heaven, but 
my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven. For the 
bread of God, is that which giveth life unto the world. — Johfi vi. 
Luke iv. Matt. iv. 


CHAPTER XX. 


THE ESSENES AND THE SABBATH. 

From the following works: — Works of Philo Judaeus. — Works 
of Flavius Josephus. — Jewish Antiquities, by David Jennings, 
D.D. — The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, by Alfred 
Edersheim, M. A. Oxon., D.D. Ph D. — Ancient History from 
the Monuments of Assyria, by George Smith, of the Dept, of 
Oriental Antiquities, British Museum. 

The Essenes. — The Therapeutes of Philo are a branch of 
the Essenes. Their name even appears to be only a Greek 
translation of that of the Essenes (/. e., Asaya, physician). Cf 
Philo, De Vita contempt, init. See Renan^s Life of Jesus. 


APPENDIX. 


615 


CHAPTER XXI, 


THE GREAT PHYSICIAN. 

Where Jesus studied Medicine.— It deserves notice, that 
the Talmud ascribes the miracles of Jesus to magic, which he 
learned during his stay in Egypt. 

The Jews held that the demons entered into, and took pos- 
session of men, and that many diseases were due to their agency, 
viz., leprosy, rabies, heart disease, madness, asthma, croup, angina 
and other diseases. These demons were called Mazzikim, or the 
hurtful ones. The Jews believed that demons did eat, drink 
and propogate themselves and die. They held that the food of 
demons consisted of elements, of fire, water and certain odors. 
Hence they made incantations of incense of certain ingredients. 

In thinking of the miracles of Jesus, and generally of the 
miraculous in the New Testament, we are too apt to overlook 
the principal consideration in the matter. We regard it from our 
present circumstances, not from those of the Jews and people ot 
that time; we judge it from our standpoint, not from theirs. And 
yet the main gist of the matter lies here; for in those days men 
regarded all that was above their view-point of nature as super- 
natural. Hence the miraculous in the New Testament consti- 
tutes, to modern thought, not its strong, but its weak point ; not 
its conveying evidence, but its point of attack and difficulty. — 
Edersheim^ Life of Jesus, Vol, /. 

Assyrian Definition of Demons. — Sorcery was of two 
kinds : one came from the power of the Gods constraining the 
actions of the demons, and partook of the characteristics of re- 
ligion. The other sought to propitiate the demons, and is witch- 
craft and devil worship. 

The demons of death and disease came from the under-world, 
but they were subject to the control of the heavenly God. The 
demons were especially inhabitants of the desert, but they also 
entered into, and took possessions of the man and diseased him. 

Each part of the body had a demon to affect it. Idpa was 
the fever, Namtar the plague, Utug held the forehead, Alai the 
chest, Gigim the bowels, Telal the hand. There were also Innis 
and Uruka, the hobgoblin and worm that dieth not; Maskim the 


6i6 


lESAT NASSAR. 


ensnarers, the Incubus, Succabus and Nightmare ; and all these 
either attacked man, or only frightened him. — Qabballah^ by Isaac 
Meyer^ LL.B, 

Talmud Record of Jesus as a Physician. — And Jesus 
went up into the Holy House and learned the Shem i. e., Name, 
of the Eben Shathiyah, and performed great miracles by it. — 
They brought to him a lame man, and Jesus spoke softly in a 
voice over him and healed the lame. Afterwards they brought 
to him a man who was leprous from head to foot, all in wounds, 
without any sound place in his body: Jesus healed him by his 
quiet speech. 

Then all the bad Jews who were there, gathered themselves 
together and cried saying : Thou art a Son of God ! And they 
fell on their faces, and bowed and kneeled before him. — Also 
others, who were honorable people, but did not know that he did 
all this through Shem, /. ^., Name, were led away by him. And 
day by day there were gathered unto Jesus great companies of 
the unrighteous, cast out ungovernable people (excommunicated) 
until he caused a great rebellion among the Jews. 

When the learned men of the Jews realized this, they were 
terribly frightened ; for they immediately forsaw, that out of such 
a state of affairs no good could come to themselves. So a num- 
ber of very strong Jews suddenly fell upon Jesus and seized him ; 
and brought him to the Queen Helena at Jerusalem. Then all 
the learned men of the Jews said to her: Precious Queen live 
for ever! Know that this man Jesus is worthy of being put to 
death immediately, according to the judgments of our holy law ; 
for he hath multiplied sorceries, by which to lead away thy people 
of Israel after empty foolishness. — Now Precious Queen, consider 
what is thy duty in order that thy kingdom may not be cheap- 
ened in the sight of God ; for God can see that thou takest no 
note of these things, and it will not please him. Therefore, on 
thee lies the debt and responsibility of removing such a thing 
from the world. 

This Jesus, however, had much boldness, and said : It was of 
me that the prophets spoke when they said : The Lord said unto 
me, ‘ Thou art my Son.’ ” 

Queen Helena answered : That is correct. 

Then said the learned Jews : The prophets did not mean this 
tyrant, but the true Messiah, whose coming we expect. He will 


APPENDIX. 


617 


smite a whole country only witli the rod of his mouth, and Judah 
will be helped, and Israel will dwell in peace. But in this tyrant 
Jesus, we do not recognize a single one of these signs, and there- 
fore we know that he is a false prophet, of whom it is written in 
the law of Moses : The prophet who shall presume to speak a 
word in my Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, 
even that prophet shall be slain. 

The servants of the Queen, related that Jesus had resurrected 
several dead persons in their presence. — The Queen became 
frightened and rebuked the learned Rabbis and said : You must 
come no more to my house, nor see my face any more. Your 
own ears have heard and your own eyes have seen by the great 
works of Jesus that he is truly a wonderful man. 

Then all the learned Jews saw that they could not lead the 
Queen Helena into the right way, to convince her that Jesus was 
a tyrant and a wicked man, who wrought all these things by the 
Shem, Name, of which he had obtained knowledge. So the poor 
Rabbis went from the Queen’s presence with broken hearts. 

Also at this period of time it was bad for the Jews ; as many 
nations had combined against them, and all the bad Jews agreed 
with the nations. They wanted to swallow the learned men of 
the Jews alive. Day by day the company of Jesus increased, 
and there was sorrow and mourning among the Jews; for there 
broke out a fierce quarrel between the Rabbis and the bad Jews, 
and no one could quench their fire. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri, 

Talmud Records of Jewish Rabbis as Physicians. — 
‘‘Rabbi Jacob suffered from indigestion. When Rabbi Ami — 
others say it was Rabbi Assir — heard of it, he advised him to take 
seven red grains, put them into a linen collar of an old shirt and 
bind them together with a cord of cow’s hair, then dip the bun- 
dle into white pitch, burn it, and then take the ashes and put them 
on the stomach, and the malady will be cured.” — The best remedy 
against the earache is the following : “ Fill the ear with olive oil, 
make seven wicks of wheat straw, bind it to the rind of garlic with 
a cord of cow’s hair, then light the wick and put it into the ear — 
but be careful not to burn the sufferer — and when one of the wicks 
is consumed, take the next, and continue to do so till the pain 
ceases. — Home and Synagogue^ the Religious Tract Society of 
London^ England. 

Not only are miracles supposed to be performed in attestation 


6i8 


lESAT NASSAR. 


of certain Rabbis but sucli a story is actually ventured upon {Bah, 
Mez. 86, a,) as that on the occasion of a discussion in the academy 
of heaven, when the Almighty and his Angels were of different 
opinions in regard to a special point of law, a Rabbi, famed for 
his knowledge of that subject, was summoned up by the angel of 
death to decide the matter between Them. The story is altogether 
too blasphemous for detail. — Eder. Jew, Soc, Life, 

Not A Son of David. — And they said : Is not this Jesus 
the Son of Joseph, the Son of Mary, whose father and mother we 
know ? We know this man whence he is, but when Christ cometh, 
no man knoweth whence he is. — Jofm vi,, vii. 

Many of the people therefore, when they heard Jesus, said : 
Of a truth, this is a prophet. Others said : This is Christ. — But 
some said : Hath not the Scripture said that Christ cometh of 
the seed of David ? As for this man (Jesus) we know not from 
whence he is. — John ix. 

The people were amazed at the works of Jesus, and said : Is 
this the Son of David ? — Jesus said: How say the Scribes that 
the Christ is the son of David ? And he asked the Pharisees : 
What think ye of the Christ ? Whose Son is he ? They say unto 
him. The Son of David. — Jesus saith unto them. How then 
doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying : The Lord said unto 
my Lord, etc.? If David then called him Lord; how is he his 
son? And no man was able to answer Jesus a word; neither 
durst any man, from that day forth, ask him any more questions. 

And the multitudes marvelled saying : It was never so seen in 
Israel. But the Pharisees said : By the prince of the demons, 
casteth he out demons. — So there was a division among the peo- 
ple because of Jesus. — rThe elders therefore sought to take Jesus, 
and no man laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet 
come. — John vii. Matt, xxii, Mark xii. Etc., etc. 

When Jesus saw the multitudes he was moved with com- 
passion for them, because they were distressed, and scattered as 
sheep not having a shepherd. And Jesus went about all the 
cities and all the villages, preaching the gospel of the kingdom 
and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. 

For this cause did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he healed 
on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them: My Father worketh 
even until now, and I work. For this cause therefore, the Jews 


APPENDIX. 619 

sought the more to kill him; because he not only brake the 
Sabbath, but also called God his Father. — Matt, ix,, Joh7i v. 


CHAPTER XXIL 


JUDAS ISCARIOT. 

Thoth was the God of the learned and of Physicians. — G. 
Ebers. 

Meanwhile all the wise men of the Jews gathered themselves 
together and prayed to God, that he should reveal to them the 
plans of the tyrant Jesus; so that he might fall into their hands 
that they should kill him; in order that the Name of God should 
be no longer cheapened by this tyrant. 

So God hearkened to their prayers and inspired them with 
the right idea. 

Therefore they all agreed to choose a righteous man whom 
they could trust to go and learn the holy Shem, Name, so that 
he might rival the tyrant Jesus in the estimation of the Queen 
Helena and of all the people of the Jews. For this work they 
selected a very learned man. The Rabbi Yehuda Ish Bari Totha. 
— To le doth Yeshu Ha Nossri, 

The rabbis taught the manifestation of two Messiahs ; the 
Son of David as reigning, and the Son of Joseph as warfaring. 
The Talmud refers to Messiah Ephraim, the Son of Joseph, as 
the one for whom Israel would mourn, according to the prophecy 
of Zachariah. 

This Messiah, Son of Joseph, would war several times with 
Armillus, (the acknowledged Christ of the Gentiles and of im- 
pious Jews), and get killed. But the war in which this Messiah, 
Son of Joseph, succumbed would finally be brought to a success- 
ful termination, when Messiah, Son of David, appeared. The 
Son of David will not go to war, but God will send pestilence 
and fire and brimstone and blood, to destroy Armillus (the Christ 
of the Gentiles) with his whole army. The Messiah, Son of 
David, with Elijah the Prophet, will then raise the Messiah, Son 
of Joseph, from the dead; establish the supremacy of Israel, and 
invite that people to feast at a banquet where each Jew will sit 
at a golden table. 


620 


lESAT NASSAR. 


As other kings and princes entertain thek guests with specta- 
cular amusements, Messiah, Son of Davdd, will entertain his com- 
pany by a battle between Behemoth and Leviathan ; while God 
himself, will entertain the righteous Jews with music and dancing 
with Ha-Veh (his Shekhenah), whose hair he will have combed 
for the occasion. Every Israelite will point at him with out- 
stretched finger, and say : Lo, this is our God ! we have waited 
for him. — Messianic Trad. Mod. Jud., by John Allen. 

In the latter days, the Father shall stand up in the month of 
Nisau, and say to him: Ephraim the Messiah, our righteousness; 
though we are thy Fathers, Yet thou art better than we ; because 
thou hast borne all the sins of our sons, and hard and evil meas- 
ure has been passed upon thee ; such as has not been passed 
upon those before, or upon those after. And thou hast been for 
laughter and derision to the Gentiles, for the sake of Israel; and 
thou hast dwelt in darkness and in mist, and thine eyes have not 
seen the light. And all this on account of the sins of our chil- 
dren, etc. — Edersheim' s Life of Jesus., and Messianic Traditions 
Alod. Jud., John Allen. 

Rabbinical Expectations of Messianic Period. — In 
general the rabbis did not identify themselves with the popular 
Messianic expectations. The great text book of rabbinism, the 
Mishnah, is almost entirely un-Messianic. The whole tendency 
of this system was anti-Messianic. The question of the Messiah 
might come up as a speculative point; it might force itself upon 
the Sanhedrim ; but it was not of personal, practical life interest 
to them. — It is characteristic, when a rabbi could assert that 
between the present and the days of Messiah there was only 
this difference— Israel’s servitude! ” — Eder. Jew. Social Life. 

And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot. And 
he communed with the chief priests how he might deliver Jesus 
unto them, and he consented. And they were glad and cove- 
nanted to give him money. — Luke xxii. 


APPENDIX. 


621 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


THE FOAL OF AN ASS.' 

Allegories in the Scriptures. — In each word of the 
Thorah (Scriptures) is concealed a more elevated meaning; each 
recites to our understanding other things than the events which 
it appears to contain. — Zohar II. See Quabbalah, by Isaac Meyers.^ 
LL.B. 

The two prophecies Isa. lx., 2, and Zech. ix., 9, are made to 
shed their blended light upon the entry of Christ. — It was not the 
letter, but the spirit of prophecy, and of all prophecy, which the 
ancient synagogue saw fulfilled in the Messiah and his kingdom. 
Accordingly the Talmud and the ancient rabbinic authorities 
have applied this prophecy to the Christ. The contradictions 
between Daniel viii., 13 and Zechariahix., 9, are reconciled by the 
Talmud, to mean : That if Israel deserved it, the Messiah would 
come in the clouds of heaven. If they were not deserving, he 
would come humbly and riding upon an ass. There were many 
traditions about this ass, upon which Messiah was to ride. — 
Edersheim^ II App. ^ 

Jews Control the Politics of Adiabene. — For more than 
a century, the Jewish race and the inhabitants of the small Par- 
thian fief Adiabene, were on terms of the most friendly inter- 
course. The death of Monabazus I. marks the greatest epoch 
in the history of Adiabenian dynasty ; for, after the old king had 
passed away, Judaism at once became a power in the affairs of 
the State, its civilizing influence being plainly visible in all sub- 
sequent events. The first matter of importance, was to settle the 
succession to the throne. — Helena Queen and Proselyte., in Some 
Jewish Women by H. Zirndorf. 

King Izates Forced into Judaism. — When Izates had 
taken the kingdom, and perceived that his mother, Queen Helena, 
was highly pleased with the Jewish customs, he made haste to 
embrace them entirely; and as he supposed he could not be a 
thorough Jew unless he were circumcised, he was ready to have 
it done. But his mother hindered him, because she feared that 
such a deed would bring him into odium among his subjects, 


622 


lESAT NASSAR. 


who would not submit to be ruled by a Jew. Ananias, the 
Jewish tutor of Izates, also dissuaded him from such a course; 
fearing the danger to himself from the anger of the people, for 
teaching their king actions that were of ill repute among them. 

But afterwards, a certain other Jew named Eleazar, and 
esteemed very skillful in the learning of his country, came to 
Izate’s palace to salute him, and found the king reading the law 
of Moses. Eleazar said to Izates : Thou dost not consider, Oh 
King, that thou unjustly breakest the principle of those laws, and 
art injurious to God himself! How long wilt thou continue uncir- 
cumcised ? If thou hast not yet read the law about circumcision, 
and dost not know how great impiety thou are guilty of by 
neglecting it, read it now ! 

Then Izates delayed no longer, but sent for a surgeon and did 
what he was commanded to do. He then sent for his mother 
Queen Helena and his tutor Ananias, and informed them that he 
had done the thing: on hearing which, they were struck with 
amazement and fear, lest the thing should be discovered and cen- 
sured, the king hazard the loss of his kingdom, and they them- 
selves run some risk ; as they would be supposed to have occa- 
sioned his circumcision. — Jos, Ant, xx,,ix, 

CUTHEAN AND SAMARITAN ARE SYNONYMOUS TeRMS. 

Cuthah, which is a country of Persia. Out of it came the 
Cutheans who had formerly belonged to the inner parts of Persia 
and Media. They are called in the Hebrew tongue, ‘‘ Cutheans;” 
but in the Greek, ‘^Samaritans.” — Jos, Ant,ix.^ xiv, and x, ix. 

The Jews Designate Gentile Women as She-Asses. — 
All of them, princes to look upon; after the likeness of the 
Babylonians, the land of whose nativity is Chaldea; whose flesh 
is as the flesh of asses . — Ezekhicl xxxiii. 

Rabbi Shilah was zealous for God: so he beat a Jew who 
was married to a Cuthean woman that worshipped the stars. 
The Jew therefore brought suit against Rabbi Shilah; saying 
that there was a Jew who took upon himself to execute judg- 
ment without authority from the king (of that land). When 
Rabbi Shilah was brought before the tribunal he answered that 
he had chastised the Jew for living with a she-ass. As the Court 
required witnesses to sustain such an accusation, the Prophet 
Elijah was incarnated and appeared as a witness to confirm 
Rabbi Shilah’s statement. 


APPENDIX. 


623 


But when Rabbi Shilah went out of the Court, the accused 
Jew said to him: Does God also work miracles for liars ? Be- 
cause you told a lie when you said that I lived with an ass. — 
Rabbi Shilah answered : Thou wicked one; are not the Gentiles 
called asses ? As it is written : Their flesh is the flesh of asses. 

When Rabbi Shilah perceived that the Jew would go and tell 
the Gentiles that they were called asses, he said : Therefore will 
they persecute me. So the Rabbi struck the Jew with an iron 
rod and killed him on the spot . — Sephir Menorath Ha More, 

Who was the Messiah Anani ? — In I. Chron. hi. 24 Anani 
is named as a descendant in the twenty-ninth generation from 
David, through his son Solomon . — The Authors, 

On the name Anani I. Chron. hi., 24, the Talmud remarks, 
that this is the Messiah; the targum (interpretation) being: that 
the word ‘‘Anani” is connected with the word similarly written, 
not punctuated, in Daniel vih. 13, and there translated, “ Clouds.” 
The Messianic idea, as realized in Christ, could not have been 
derived from the views current in those times,” (amongst the 
Jews ). — EdersheM s Life of Jesus. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. 

After these things, Jesus walked in Galilee ; for he would not 
walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. But of the 
multitude, many believed on him . — John vii. 

There were Pharisees and doctors of the law, sitting by, which 
were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea and Jerusa- 
lem: and the power of the Lord was with Jesus, that he should 
heal. 

“ And it came to pass, soon afterwards, that Jesus went about 
through cities and villages; preaching and bringing the good 
tidings of the kingdom of God. And with him were the twelve 
and certain women which had been healed of evil spirits “ (dis- 
eases) ” and infirmities. Mary tliat was called Magdalene, from 
whom seven demons “ (sicknesses) ” had gone out; and Joana, 
the wife of Chusa, Herod’s steward; and Susanna, and many 


624 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Others Avhich ministered to them of their substance.” — Luke v. 
and via. 

Jesus gave his disciples power to heal all manner of sickness, 
and all manner of diseases. And these, Jesus sent forth and com- 
manded them, saying : — Go not into the ways of the Gentiles, and 
enter not into any city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the 
lost sheep of the house of Israel. But beware of men (/. e., the 
Jews)” for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their 
synagogues they will scourge you. Behold, I send you forth 
as sheep in the midst of wolves. And as ye go, heal the sick, 
raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, and teach, 
saying : The kingdom of heaven is at hand. — Behold I have 
given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and 
over all the powers of the enemy. In my name, shall ye speak 
with new tongues ‘‘ (speak truth and not the old lying miraculous 
incantations, etc., etc.) ” and if ye drink any deadly thing, it shall 
in no wise hurt you. — Matt, x. Matt. xvi. Luke in. x. 

Talmud Record of Jesus as a Physician in Galilee. 
— From Judea, this Jesus went to Galel Halion, which was a 
country in the land of Israel. There also he led away many of 
the people by his wonders. And the Khakhomim (theologians) of 
the Jews, were very much distressed, because they foresaw that 
he would be able to lead all the Jews astray. Therefore they 
took counsel among themselves in all the countries where Jews 
had taken up their abode in those days. And they chose 
delegates, who were sent to Queen Helena to discuss this 
matter. 

They said to her : Precious Queen, our lives, and the lives of 
all the people of Israel, with the preservation of our holy religion, 
are now in your hands. You must, therefore, see to it, to re- 
move this tyrant Jesus, who, by his many sorceries, aims to de- 
stroy the Jewish religion. For the sake of God’s holy Name, 
which is being weakened through this Jesus, give us permission 
to persecute him again; and if he is a God, we will not be able 
to arrest him. But if we seize him, you may feel assured that all 
his schemes and his impostures are but deeds that lead astray. 
God has sent us this trial, only to try us, and to find out whether 
we love him and will obey his Thorah (scriptures). Therefore 
we trust our God to deliver this Jesus into our hands; so that 
His Name should not be further weakened by him. 


APPENDIX. 


625 


But, oh, precious Queen, if you will not save us from this mis- 
fortune, then smite us even with death ; that we may not witness 
the fall of the Jewish religion, and we will know that you have 
brought a great sin upon your kingdom. 

Then Queen Helena answered: I give you permission to 
persecute and arrest Jesus, and to treat him as it pleases you. 
None shall rescue him from your power; so that I and my king- 
dom may remain guiltless . — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri, 


CHAPTER XXV. 

MOSES AND ELIJAH, 

Talmud Record that Jesus was Warned. — When in- 
formation was brought to Jesus, that the Queen Helena had 
given the chief priests of the Jews permission to persecute and ar- 
rest him, he took counsel with his disciples and kinsfolk, and 
they agreed that he should escape to Egypt . — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri. 

Jewish Records Accuse Moses of Robbery and Mur- 
der. — The children of Reuben disputed with Moses, and said 
that he had deprived Reuben of his birthright, and had given it 
to Joseph, because Joshua who served Moses, was of the tribe of 
Ephraim, the son of Joseph. 

Therefore said Korah and the sons of Reuben : Moses does 
whatever he pleases; he wants to make his servant Joshua, great. 
Therefore did he deprive Reuben of the birthright and gave it to 
Joseph, so that his servant Joshua, should be reckoned among the 
first born.’^ 

But Moses had so ingratiated himself with the people, that if 
any one murmured against any action of Moses, they used to 
stone him. For that reason, Korah and his company of first-born, 
or heads of families, were silent when Moses deprived them of 
their patriarchal rights, and bestowed them on the Levites. 

It was the heads of families who murmured against Moses, 
because he had deprived them of their patriarchal rights, and had 
bestowed them on the Levites. For in the olden times, the first- 
born used to perform the religious services in the Holy House, 
and Korah was a first-born, 9.nd the two hundred and fifty San- 

4Q 


626 


lESAT NASSAR. 


hedrists that were of his company were all first-borns. — Therefore 
said they all to Moses : ‘‘You have shamed all the first-born, and 
have deprived them of their patriarchal rights to perform the re- 
ligious worship, and you have given the rights of the ministry to 
whom it pleased you; and you have invented that no one has a 
right to perform the service of the priesthood, but Aaron and 
whoever pleases you.” 

Korah said unto Moses : You invent works of righteousness, 
which God has not at all commanded. 

When Korah and his company were destroyed, Israel spoke 
against the incense they had used in the censers, and said : This 
incense was a deadly poison ; for Nadab and Abiram and the two 
hundred and fifty men were killed by it. Khamesha Thorah^ 
Parshe Korakh. Talmud, 

Jesus’ Opinion of His Predecessors. — Jesus said: Verily, 
verily I say unto you ; all that ever came before me, are thieves 
and robbers. — John x. 

Privileges of Godless Robbers under Jewish Law. — 
For this cause doth a thief restore double, and a robber doth not. 
make restitution. — the thief fears men more than he fears God,, 
and steals that no one may see him, but fears not God who sees, 
every thing; therefore must he make restitution. But a robber 
who takes openly, fears not men just as he fears not God; there- 
fore shall he not make any restitution. — Parshe Mishputm Khu- 
mish Torah, 

St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Opinion of Hebrew-Christian 
Teachers. — We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when 
we made known unto you the power and the presence of our Lord 
Jesus Christ; but we were eye witnesses of his majesty. — II. 
PJer., i. 

For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers ; 
SPECIALLY THEY OF THE CIRCUMCISION, whose mouths must be 
stopped ; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching what they 
ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 

For the time will come when men will not endure healthy 
teaching but will heap to themselves teachers after their own 
lusts, and turn away their ears from the truth, unto fables. For 
this cause rebuke them sharply, that they may be healthy in the 
faith ; not giving heed to J ewish fables. — Titus f., II. Tim. iv. 


APPEN’DIX. 


627 


Jesus and His Apostles on the Mount. — Jesus took Peter 
and James and John, and brought them unto a high mountain 
apart, and he was transfigured before them. And behold there 
talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah, who 
appeared in glory and spake of his departure, which he was 
about to accomplish. And as they were parting from him, Peter 
said unto Jesus. Master it is good for us to be here, and let us 
make three booths; one for thee, one for Moses, and one for 
Elijah. — But Jesus charged them that they should tell no man 
what things they had seen. And they held their peace and told 
no man in those days. — Matt, xvii., Mark Luke ix. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 


attempt to SIEZE JESUS. MARTHA AND MARY. 

Jewish records of attempt to seize Jesus in Galilee. 
— But before they had time to leave Galilee of the Gentiles, the 
emissaries, sent by the elders of the Jews, fell upon Jesus and 
seized him. 

Then the people of Hellenic Galilee rose up and disputed 
their authority, saying : How dare you strive with God ? And 
they began to produce foolish proofs from the Holy Scriptures, 
that Jesus was the Son of God, and defied the emissaries sent by 
the Sages of the Jews, and did not permit them to harm Jesus. 

So there broke out a great quarrel between the people of Jesus 
and those of the Judean chief priests; until they began to fight 
with naked swords. 

Upon this, the tyrant Jesus said to his people. Put up your 
swords into the sheaths and do not fight for me. 

He also immediately gave the order, and procured birds of 
heaven (Roman eagles), and spake something unto them. After 
which the birds flew up even unto heaven (the highest court). And 
all the men of Galilee made obeisance to him, and said : This is 
our Lord. 

Then Jesus said to his people : Bring me hither a great stone, 
(Roman police galley, as Jewish interpretation of a stone is a 
power) and he sat upon it, and sailed away thereon over the 
water. And the emissaries of the elders of the Jews, returned from 
Galilee with broken hearts. 


628 


lESAT NASSAR. 


But when Queen Helena heard of it, she said to the elders of 
the Jews: What do you say now ? Do you still hold to your 
foolish notions, that Jesus is a sorcerer and misleader ? Nay, my 
dear people, all this is but his godliness. 

But the Jewish Sages answered: It is only a trial, sent us by 
our God, to prove us wnether we will obey him. and such a 
prophet as Jesus should be killed. We also know that it is our 
sins which prevent our ascertaining the Name, by which he per- 
forms his wonders. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri, 

And the chief priests and Pharisees, sent officers to take Jesus. 
So there arose a division in the multitude because of him. And 
some of them would have taken him, but no man laid hands on 
him. 

The officers therefore came to the chief priest and Pharisees, 
and they said unto them : Why did ye not bring him ? — John 
vii, 

Jesus advocates progressive womanhood. — And a cer- 
tain woman named Martha received Jesus into her house. And 
she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet, and 
heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much sei ving, 
and came to him and said : Lord dost thou not care that my 
sister hath left me to serve alone ? Bid her therefore that she 
help me. 

And Jesus answered and said unto her : Martha, Martha, thou 
art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is 
needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not 
be taken away from her — Luke x. 

And there was one Anna, a prophetess (public teacher) of the 
tribe of Aser. — Luke ii. 

No Jewish Woman could be a public teacher. — Jewish 
women would never have attempted teaching in the Synagogue, 
for rabbinical study was disapproved of in the case of women. — 
Eder. Jew, Soc. Life, 

From the reviewer I learn for the first time that the Talmud 
holds the dignity of woman in high respect that, — “ love your 
wife like yourself, honor her more than yourself^’ — is a Talmud- 
ical command. — Wheie, where is such a precept inserted in the 
Talmud ? — As a rule the doctors of the Talmud do not hold the 
female sex in high estimation. They pray : Blessed art Thou, 


APPENDIX. 


629 


O Lord our God, King of the Universe, that Thou hast not 
made me a woman.” — They class those of the fair sex with slaves 
and children; for again and again we read phrases such as 
these: ‘‘ Womens s\a.vGS .3.nd children are exempted.” — You shall 
teach the law to your sons, but nof to your daughters '" — He who 
teacheth his daughter the law is like as if he teaches her to sin. — 
The mind of woman is weak. — d'he world cannot exist without 
males and females, but blessed is he whose children are sons ; 
woe to him whose children are daughters, etc., etc. Every Jew 
thanks God that he is not a woman, and also in the same breath, 
that he is not a Gentile nor an idiot. — Let those who speak of 
the morality of the Talmud translate the whole of the paragraph : 
He who loves his wife, etc., etc., or the treatise called the “ Cal- 
lah,” and then the answer given to the question, What is the 
Talmud ? ” would be, ‘‘ It is utterly filthy.” — Home and Syna- 
gogue, The Religious Tract Society of Loudo7i, England, 


CHAPTER XXVII. 


JUDAS ISCARIOT AS SPY AND APOSTLE. 

Talmud Record of Judas as Spy and Apostle. — When 
the Jewish Sages heard these things, they took counsel among 
themselves what next they should do to Jesus. 

Then Rabbi Yehuda Ish Bari Totha, i, e., Judas Iscariot, said 
to them : I still possess the power of God. I will follow Jesus 
and take him, and deliver him into your hands. They all an- 
swered him, saying ; Go and prosper for God’s holy Name, which 
is profaned by this tyrant. So Rabbi Yehuda made himself a 
robe, like those worn by the disciples of Jesus. And he came to 
them at night, and stayed with them three days, till he had 
time to put a mark upon the robe of Jesus. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri. 

But the Pharisees, straightway with the Herodians, took coun- 
sel how they might destroy Jesus. — Mark Hi. And the Scribes 
and the chief priests sought to lay hands on Jesus, but they feared 
the people. And they watched him, and sent forth spies which 
feigned themselves righteous, that they might take hold of his 


630 


lESAT NASSAR. 


speech ; so as to deliver liim up to the rule and to the authority 
of the governor . — Luke xx, 

John said unto him : Master, we saw one, casting out demons 
in thy name, and we forbade him; because he followed not with 
us. But Jesus said : Forbid him not; for there is no man which 
shall do a mighty work in my name, and be able to speak evil 
quickly of me. He that is not against us is for us . — Mark ix. 

Then Judas Iscariot, who was possessed, came and sat down 
at the right hand of Jesus. — A^oe. Gospel, l7if. 

There came one, a scribe, and said unto him : Master, I will 
follow thee withersoever thou goest. But Jesus said unto him : 
The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven lodging places; 
but the Son of Man hath no where to lay his head . — Luke ix. 

Now after these things, the Lord appointed seventy, and two 
others ; and sent them two and two before his face, into every 
city and place whither he himself was about to come. And said 
unto them : The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few ; 
pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth 
laborers into his harvest. 

And Jesus charged them, saying : Go your way, heal the sick 
and say unto them: The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto 
you. Behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. 
Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Lharisees and of the 
leaven of Herod, and salute no man by the way . — Luke x. 
Mark viii. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

CROWNED WITH THORNS. 

At the Instance of the Chief Priests Helena in- 
veigles Jesus, and they Torture Him. — The chief priests and 
lawyers of the Jews said to Queen Helena: We pray you preci- 
ous Queen, that you once again do honor to our God, by having 
Jesus brought before you. Meanwhile, we will pray to our be- 
loved God to open our eyes that we may understand the princi- 
ples by which he does his wonders. 

The Queen answered: I will again send for Jesus, but con- 
sider well what you intend to do ; lest we all be put to shame. 


APPENDIX. 


631 

The Queen therefore sent, and assembled all the bad Jews 
who believed in Jesus, and said to them: Go to Jesus and tell 
him, that through the emissaries of the elders of the Jews, the 
Queen has heard of the wonderful things accomplished in Galilee 
of the Gentiles, and prays him to come to her, that her eyes may 
behold him and rejoice. 

So his followers said to Jesus: Go and fear not : for your 
enemies cannot harm you. And Jesus gathered his great com- 
pany of wicked men, and came to the Queen. 

The chief priests and lawyers of the Jews, came to Queen 
Helena at the same time as Jesus. She received them with great 
honor, and Jesus thought that the honor was for him. 

With these Jewish Sages, came also the great and righteous 
man. Rabbi Yehuda Ish BariTotha, i, e,, Judas Iscariot. 

Jesus spoke and raised his hands towards heaven and began 
to soar like an eagle, and all were filled with awe and wonder. 

Then the Jewish Sages winked to Rabbi Judas Iscariot, who, 
by the power of the Name which he had learned, began to fly 
after Jesus and caught hold hold of him, and cast him down to 
the ground ; so that he lay on the ground a couple of hours, 
while Rabbi Judas Iscariot flew about hither and thither before 
the eyes of all. 

Then Jesus rose like one dazed, awaking from sleep, and cast 
Rabbi Judas to the ground. 

And Rabbi Judas began to weep and pray to God, saying: 
Oh God, how long shall this tyrant be a stumbling block to thy 
people, who love thy Name. Lord of the world, thou knowest 
that I have done all this only for the sake of thine honor, that thy 
beloved Israel should not be led astray by this tyrant. 

After this Rabbi Judas flew up again, and as Jesus rose up 
after him. Rabbi Judas defiled him ; upon which, Jesus fell down 
and had no more strength to rise. But Rabbi Judas baptised 
himself in water and was cleansed, (absolved) in the evening. 

But the Jewish rulers and sages seized Jesus by the hair of 
his head, and blindfolded him, and threw him upon the ground in 
presence of the Queen Helena, saying to him : Thou false prophet, 
who understandest all mysteries, say now who is it that threw thee 
to the ground, and who is it that struck thee ? If thou art a 
Son of God, call now to thy Father that he may deliver thee out 
of our hands; and delay not lest we smite thee to death. 

Then the Queen gave the order to raise Jesus, and asked him 


632 


lESAT NASSAR. 


many questions ; but received no answer. And she was angry, 
and said to her servants : Bring hither the evil dogs (tormentors) 
that they may tear the flesh of this tyrant, and may mine eyes no 
more see the misleader and sorcerer. 

But to the Jewish rulers and sages, she said : Behold, I deliver 
Jesus into your hands; you may condemn him to death, as it 
pleases you. 

So the elders and sages took Jesus from thence, and confined 
him in a prison in the city of Tiberias. Then they said to him : 
Since thou are the Anointed of God, thou art therefore worthy to 
be crowned. And they put a crown of sharp thorns upon his 
head, and made of him a derision, and a laughing stock. 

And they bound Jesus, and he stood thus bound for three days 
and three nights, without food or drink. On the third day he 
begged the jailer to give him some water, but the jailer gave him 
vinegar. Then Jesus wept bitterly. = Yeshu Ha Nossri. 

Cabalistic Meaning of '‘Soaring like an Eagle.” — 
The Eagle is a symbol of the spiritual aether or air. Hence the 
use of the voice and sound. — Qubballah^ by Isaac Mye/s^ L.L.B. 

And there came his Mother (of his clan) and his brethren 
(kinsmen) and standing without (not accepting his doctrines) they 
sent unto Jesus, calling him. And they could not come at him 
for the crowd. And they* say unto Jesus: Behold thy Mother 
and thy brethern stand without, seeking to speak with thee. But 
Jesus answered and said : My Mother and my brethren are those, 
which hear the word of God and do it. — Matt, xii, Mark Hi, 
Luke via. 

When Satan was acting upon Judas Iscariot, he went about to 
bite the Lord Jesus. And because he could not do it; he struck 
Jesus on the right side. (/. e. protection of Queen Helena.) — 
Apoc. Gosp, Inf, 

Disenters from Judaism must be Executed or Assassi- 
nated. — It is commanded to slay those of Israel, who deny the 
Law and the Prophets. If the power is in our hands, they are 
to be killed publicly by the sword, if not, then we must seek by 
craft or deceit to accomplish their death. He who asserts that 
the Law did not come from God, that he never revealed a verse 
or a word, but that Moses spake for himself, denies the Law. As 
he does also, who denies the interpretation, that is, the Oral Law, 


APPENDIX. 


633 


n:Kl also he who denies the historical narrations that it contains, 
is doomed to eternal extirpation, ])erdition and excommunication. 
J.et his breath be stopped. — Mahnon Talmud, Modern Judaism^ 
by John Alleii. 

Jews may Commit Perjury. — Phecedent Established 
BY Jehovah. — The Talmud, positively teaches that a person may 
act contrary to his oath, because Jehovah himself, more than 
once, changed his word, and repented of having sworn so hastily. 
Therefore, a lie may be told if necessary, and the perjurer can be 
absolved from what he has sworn to; either by a Rabb.i or by 
three ordinary Jews. — Judas Iscariot, Minerva Pub, Co, 

Jews’ Neighbors are Jews only (Khaber and Kourov.) 
— Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. — Ex, 

XX, 

The lawyers said unto Jesus : And who is thy neighbor ? — 
I^uke X, 

Who was the Progenitor of the Jews? — And Jesus 
said unto them: Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of 
your father, it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the 
beginning, and stood not in the truth; because there is no truth 
in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he 
is a liar, and the father thereof. — John viii. 

The Chosen Priesthood Torture Jesus. — And the men 
that held Jesus, mocked him, and beat him. And they blind- 
folded him, and asked him, saying : Prophesy, who is it that 
struck thee? And many other things spake they against him re- 
viling him. And the rulers also scoffed Jesus, saying: Let him 
f-ave himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen ! 

And plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him, and 
they began to salute him: Hail King of the Jews! and they 
smote his head with a reed, and did spit upon him. After thi<, 
Jesus saith : I thirst. And there was set there a vessel full of 
vinegar, so they put a sponge full of vinegar upon hyssop, and 
brought it to his mouth. — Luke xxii., xxiii,, John xix. 


634 


lESAT NASSAR. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 


HEROD THE TETRACH OF GALILEE. 

Escape of Jesus from the Priests. — And a great multi- 
tude of wicked men assembled before the prison in order to 
release Jesus, but they could not. Then there arose great dis- 
sensions and strife among the people in the homes and on the 
streets; men against their wives, brothers against their sisters, 
sons against their fathers, but above all, the chief priests and 
lawyers against the laity. And there arose a tumult of the people 
against the chief priests and lawyers, and Jesus got out of the 
prison and escaped to his own people. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri, 

Herod the Tetrarch Friendly to Jesus. — Now Herod 
the Tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was much 
perplexed. And Herod sought to see Jesus. Then came cer- 
tain Pharisees, saying unto Jesus: Get thee out and go hence, 
for Herod would fain seek to kill thee. 

Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad; for he 
was of a long time desirous to see him. And he questioned him 
in many words. But t!ie chief priests and the scribes stood 
vehemently accusing Jesus. 

The disciples were with him, and he asked them, saying: 
Who do the multitudes say that I am ? And they answering, 
said : John the Baptist. But others, Elijah; and others, that one 
of the old prophets is risen again. And Jesus said unto them: 
But who say ye that I am? And Peter answering, said: The 
Christ of God . — Luke ix., xiii., xxiii. 

Jesus was of Gentile Descent. — The nation of the 
Cutheans had formerly belonged to the inner parts of Media and 
Persia. They are called in the Hebrew tongue, Cuthean; but in 
the Greek, Samaritan. — Jos. ix., xiv 

Cuthah furnished the name Cuthim; by which the Jews de- 
signated the Samaritans. It was intended as a term of reproach, 
to mark that they were of foreign race. 

Still more frequent is the term Samaritan or Cuthi, for 


APPENDIX. 635 

Stranger or Nakri; the latter, and not strictly Samaritan descent, 
being meant. — Eder, i. 

The Jews said unto Jesus: Say we not well, that thou art a 
Samaritan . — John viii. 


CHAPTER XXX. 


THE THIRD TEMPTATION. 

Temptation of Jesus According to Gospel Records. — 
And the Devil set Jesus on the wing of the Temple, and said 
unto him : If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down from 
hence ; for it is written : He shall give his angels charge con • 
cerning thee to guard thee, and on their hands they shall bear 
thee up ; lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. And 
Jesus answering, said unto him : It is said * Thou shalt not tempt 
the Lord thy God . — Luke iv, revised version. 

Rabbinical Interpretation of Messiah on the Pinnacle. 
— According to Jewish commentaries, the placing Messiah on the 
pinnacle of the Temple, so far from being of Satanic temptation, 
was said to mark the hour of deliverance ; of Messianic procla- 
mation and of Gentile voluntary submission. — Eder. Life of Jesus. 

Rabbinical Interpretation of Israel's Restoration. — 
‘‘ The winds would blow (revolts and wars be utilized) ” to bring 
together the dispersed. Nay, if there was even one Israelite in 
a land however distant, he would then and thus be restored. 
And the bounds of the land would be extended far beyond what 
they had ever been, and made as wide as originally promised to 
Abraham (/. from the river of Egypt to that of Euphrates). - 
Edersheim L. 

And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew 
(insurrection) and it was now dark and Jesus was not yet come to 
them . — John vi. 

Messiah of Judaism the Anti-Christ of the Gospels. — 
The quotations of the Tempter, were regarded as the rightful 
manifestations of Messiah’s dignity ; whereas in the evangelical 
record, they are presented as the suggestions of Satan and the 


636 


lESAT NASSAR. 


temptation of Christ. Thus the Messiah of Judaism is the Anti- 
Christ of the Gospels . — Edersheim /. 

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, 
saying: Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to 
Israel ? — Acts. /. 

Adiabene Nobles Revolt Against Their Renegade 
King. — Now when the King's brother Monabaz and his other 
kindred saw how Izates, by his piety to God (Judaism), was be- 
come greatly esteemed, they also had a desire to leave the re- 
ligion of their country and to embrace the customs of the Jews. 
But that act of theirs was discovered by Izate’s subjects; where- 
upon the grandees were much displeased and could not con- 
tain their anger at them, but had an intention, when they should 
fijad a proper opportunity, to inflict a punishment upon them; 
because of the hatred King Izates had to their religious worship. 
But although the grandees of Adiabene had failed in their first 
attempt, as being delivered up by God into their King’s hands, 
yet would they not even then be quiet; but wrote again to 
Vologases, who was then King of Parthia, and desired that he 
would kill Izates and set over them some other potentate who 
should be of a Parthian family. For they said that they hated 
their own king, for abrogating the laws of their forefathers and 
embracing foreign (Jewish) customs. — Jos. A?it. xx. Hi. 

Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her 
sons, worshipping and asking a certain thing of Jesus. And he 
said unto her : What wouldst thou ? She saith unto him: Com- 
mand that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand and 
one on thy left hand in thy kingdom. Jesus answered and said : 
Ye know not, what ye ask . — Matt xx. 

Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come by 
force to make him king, withdrew again into the mountains by 
himself alone. Upon this, many of his disciples went back and 
walked no more with him . — John vi. 

When the Devil had completed every temptation, he de- 
parted from him until a season. And Jesus returned in the power 
of the Spirit into Galilee . — Luke iv. 


APPENDIX. 


637 



CHAPTER XXXI. 


THE STORM. 

When evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea; 
and they entered into a boat and were going over the sea unto 
Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come 
to them. And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that 
blew. And the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed 
by the waves, for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch 
of the night, Jesus came unto them, walking upon the sea, and 
when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, 
saying: It is an apparition; and they cried out for fear. But 
straightway Jesus spake unto them saying: Be of good cheer; it 
is I ; be not afraid. And Peter answered him, and said Lord if 
it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. And he said : 
Come. And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon 
the waters to come to Jesus. But when he saw the wind he was 
afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out saying : Lord save me. 
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold 
of him. And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind 
ceased, and straightway the boat was at the land whither they 
were going. — Matt, xiv. Mark vi. John vi. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


PUBLIC ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. 

Frequent Visits of Helena and Sons to Jerusalem. 
— The grandees of Adiabene were very angry, and wrote to Abia 
King of the Arabians, to make an expedition against Izates; 
whom they desired to punish, because of the hatred he had for 
their religious worship. — Jos, Ant. xx. iv. 

Queen Helena’s two sons, Izates and Monabaz, often stopped 
at the Judean capital, (Jerusalem) and other Adiabenians of rank, 
from time to time, followed the example of their generous princes, 
— Hel. Queen and Pros, Some Jewish Women, H, Zir7tdorf, 


638 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Talmud's account of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. — 
Jesus said to his disciples : Come, let us go up to Jerusalem. 
So they all went to Jerusalem, and he rode on an ass. He came 
with his people to Jerusalem on Friday, and that year, the Eve of 
the Passover, was on Sunday. As Jesus came towards the gate 
of the City, there were gathered together, a multitude of the 
wicked ones, who knelt and bowed before him, with their faces to 
the ground. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri. 

And when they drew nigh into Jerusalem and came to Beth- 
phage (/. <f., the House of the Unripe Fruit) unto the Mount of 
Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying unto them: Go 
into the village that is over against you, and straightway ye shall 
find an ass tied, and a colt whereon no man ever sat, with her ; 
loose and bring unto me. And if any man say aught unto you, 
ye shall say: The Lord hath need of them. And they found 
the colt tied by the door without, in a place wliere two ways met. 
And the disciples brought the ass and the colt. And the whole 
multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with 
a loud voice. And much people that were come to the feast, 
when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took 
branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, 
saying: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. 
Even the King of Israel ! 

These things understood not his disciples. 

And all the city was stirred up, saying : Who is this ? And 
the multitude said: This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of 
Galilee. — Maff, xxL Mark xi. Luke xix. John xii. 

The Mishna Menacoth, x. 2; Talm. of Bab. Sanhedrim, 14, 
b. Pesachim, 63, b, 91, a., Sota, 45, a. Baba metsia 85, a. It 
results from these passages that Bethphage was a sort of a Pom- 
erium (a void space inside and outside the walls of a city) which 
extended to the eastern foundation of the I'emple, and which 
also had its own wall of inclosure. — Renan's Life of Jesus. 

Bethphage is not mentioned in the Old Testament, though 
repeatedly in Jewish writings. But even so, there is a curious 
contradiction ; since Bethphage is sometimes spoken of as dis- 
tinct from Jerusalem; while at other times it is described as, for 
ecclesiastical purposes, a part of the City itself. As, so often, in 
Jewish writings, the two prophecies, Isa., LXIII, II, and Zech,, 


APPENDIX. 


639 

IX, 9, were not quoted, by St. Matthew and St. John, in the 
stiffness and deadness of the letter ; nor yet are the words of the 
Prophets given literally, as modern criticism would have them 
weighed out in the critical balances. 

The pilgrim band which had accompanied Jesus from Galilee 
and Perea, and preceded him to Jerusalem; the guests at Beth- 
any, the people who had gone out to see Jesus and Lazurus, must 
have spread in the city (Jerusalem) the tidings of the proximity 
of Jesus and of his approaching arrival. Such must have been 
the case, since a great multitude went forth to meet him. These 
must mostly have consisted of those that had come to the Feast. 
With these, went also a number of Pharisees; their hearts filled 
with bitterest thoughts of jealousy and hatred. 

It is of great importance to keep in mind this composition of 
the multitude. Two streams of people met. The one coming 
from the city; the other from Bethany. The impression left on 
our minds, is : that what followed, was unexpected by those who 
accompanied Jesus; that it took them by surprise. The disciples 
understood not the significance of these things, even after they 
had occurred. Their enthusaism seems only to have been kindled, 
when they saw the procession from the town come to meet Jesus 
with palm branches, and with Hosanna shouts of welcome. The 
waving of the palm branches was the welcome of visitors or kings. 
The words of welcome from Psalm 118, (Blessed be he that en- 
tereth in the Name of Jehovah) were those, with which, on 
solemn occasions, the people also greeted the arrival of festive 
pilgrims. 

These men (the followers of Jesus) walked in the procession 
as if impelled by a necessity, and were carried from event to 
event which came upon them, in a succession of, but partially 
understood surprises. — Eder. Life of Jesus ^ //. 

Motives that prompt legislation must not be ques- 
tioned SAY THE RABBIS. — In connection with the celebration 
of the Passover, the Thorah defines four kinds of children. One, 
wise and righteous. — One, a fool, — One, who cannot ask ques- 
tions. — One, the wicked one. 

There is a great difference between the question put by the 
IkVise One, and that by the wicked one. 

The Wise One, asks : What are the righteousnesses which the, 
BlcosecJ be Hi§ Name, has commanded you to do ? 


640 lESAT NASSAR. 

But the Wicked One, in asking : What mean ye by this ser- 
vice ? and, What is the hard labor to you ? not to him, excludes 
himself from the congregation (of Israel) and thus denies the 
Blessed One. 

Hasten therefore to set his teeth on edge, and say to the 
Wicked One : Why do we thus ! Because God worked miracles 
for me in my emigration from Egypt ! For me, did God make 
miracles ! But not for him. “ (The proselyte critic).” If he, 
the Wicked One, had been there, he would not have been saved. 

The Doobner Magid, explains this by an illustration. He says : 
A master orders his servant to perform a service. Some one sees 
and asks this servant : Why do you perform this service ? The 
servants laughs at him as he answers : You fool, you know that 
I am a servant, what my master bids me do ; that I must per- 
form. 

If he had asked : Why did your master bid you to perform 
his service ? it would have been right. But since he asks : Why 
do you perform this service ? it is understood that he means, that 
the servant ought not to obey his master. 

When the Wise One asks : What are the righteousnesses which 
the. Blessed by His Name, has commanded you to do ? it implies 
that you ought to obey the Blessed be His Name, only tell me 
the meaning thereof. 

But when the Wicked One asks : Why do you perform all 
these righteousnesses ? he means that we ought not to obey the 
Blessed be His Name. Therefore he is called the Roshe* 
(tyrant or wicked one), and such is the difference between the 
‘‘ Wise One” and the ‘‘Wicked One.” — Hagadah Shil Fesakh, 

Streams of Blood to Wash Jewish Sins. — Josephus re- 
cords that when, to convince Nero of the importance of Jerusa- 
lem, Ctstius requested the Jewish high-priest to make a census of 
the number of lambs slain as sacrifices in the temple, it was found 
to be 250,000. 

“ While the Beth Ha Migdash ” (holy house) was standing, 
the King and the Sanhedrim sent messengers to all the people 
who lived in the environs of Jerusalem at the beginning of the 
month of Nisen. All who had sheep, goats, oxen and cows, were 
ordered to bring them to Jerusalem for sale to the Jews who would 


This name is applied to Jesus all through the book of Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri. 


APPENDIX. 


641 


be coming to the Passover, and would need such animals for their 
pascal offerings, their heave offerings, their peace offerings and 
whatever other kinds they might need. Whoever should disre- 
gard this order and fail to bring their animals at the time ap- 
pointed, would have all their animals confiscated and they also be 
tabbooed. A place was set apart to which the venders came with 
their animals, and this was outside the city of Jerusalem near the 
pool. This place with all the surrounding hills were crowded 
with cattle for sale. 

The pascal sacrifice consisted either of a male lamb or a male 
kid. From eight days to a year old it was kosher (clean) for a 
pascal offering ; over a year old it was unfit for such sacrifices. 

Two hours and a half after noon on the eve of the passover, 
the daily evening sacrifice was killed in the court of the temple. 
Immediately after the slaug’iter of the daily sacrifice, the pascal 
sacrifice might be killed; only the blood of the daily had to be 
sprinkled on the altar before that of the pascal. Meanwhile the 
priests had to be stirring the blood of the pascal victims to pre- 
vent it from congealing. After the blood of the daily had been 
sprinkled, they began sprinkling the blood of the pascal sacrifices. 
— The blood of the pascal offering was sprinkled only once on the 
altar on the east side towards the base ; under which was a sub- 
terranean cellar reaching to the abyss. 

After the sprinkling, the pascal victim was skinned, its bowels 
were opened and all the fat taken out; but if the sacrifice was a 
lamb, the tail was also taken. This was all put into a bowl and 
salted, and the bowl had to be a sacred one from the holy house. 
The priest then took the basin containing the fat and went up to 
the altar; then he took the fat out and placed it on the fire upon 
the altar. He was obliged to place the fat of each pascal offering 
separately on the fire. After this, the stomach, entrails, lungs, 
liver and spleen were taken out of the slaughtered animal and 
washed. — But if the eve of the passover happened to be on the 
Sabbath day, only the following things could be done: slaughter- 
ing the sacrifice, sprinkling the blood on the altar, burning the 
fat on the alter and cleaning the entrails; the rest was left to be 
done after the Sabbath had passed. 

When it was time to slaughter the pascal sacrifices the chief 
priests went up on a high place and blew the trumpets, so that 
the people might know that it was time to bring their sacrifices 
to be killed. — All Jews then put on their holiday attire when they 

41 


642 


lESAT NASSAU. 


went to have their pascal slaughtered. The people were divided 
into three companies. Outside the great gate of the Court stood 
twelve Levites holding silver staves, and requested the people 
who were entering the Court not to push each other, not to hurt 
each other and not to fight. Another twelve Levites stood inside 
the gate, and said the same thing to the parties that were going 
out of the Court. The first division of Jews went into the Court 
with their pascal animals, and when the Court was filled with 
jjeople, the great gates were closed. This was repeated with the 
second and third companies. While the pascals were being 
slaughtered the priests stood in line between the place of slaught- 
ering and the altar. In one of these rows each priest held a golden 
ladle in his hand, and in the next row each priest held one of sil- 
ver. In this manner each line of priests was furnished and this 
was done to produce a fine effect. The priest that stood nearest 
the slaughtered victim filled his ladle with the blood, and handed 
it to the priest next in line, who gave him his empty ladle in ex- 
change, while he passed the blood up the line and received the 
empty ladles to be filled. Thus the ladles were filled with blood 
and passed up the lines till they reached the priest who stood at 
the altar, and he squirted it on the altar at the base. — The priests 
practiced this ceremony during the thirty days preceding the pass- 
over that they might make no mistakes on that day of pascal 
slauglitering and sprinkling. 

There were two tall pillars in this Court on which two priests 
stood with trumphets. As soon as they saw the beginning of the 
slaughter of the pascals they blew their trumpets to give those 
priests, who were stationed on the roof ‘‘ (probably of the clois- 
ters),” notice to sing the liallel and to play their music. 

A great number of iron hooks and rods were driven into the 
walls of this Court, and as the pascals were slaughtered they were 
hung up on these hooks and rods to be flayed. There was also 
a large number of staves and poles lying around for the use of 
those persons for whose animals there were no free hooks. Two 
men would each take an end of these poles and resting it on their 
shoulders, hang the animal on it between them, and thus skin it, 
split the bowels open, and taking out the fat, give it to the priests 
to lay upon the altar. 

During the slaughtering of the pascals all the priests were 
dressed in short red shirts which reached to their knees, and 
sleeveless to the shoulder to leave their bare arms free for the 


APPENDIX. 


643 

work of slaughter; their legs and feet were also bare. The 
cloths which the priests wore wound round their heads 
(turbans) were three ells long. But the white cloth which the 
high-priest wore, had to be long enough to wind round his head 
forty times. 

While the pascals were being slaughtered, and the Khalev 
(fat) being burnt on the altar, the priests continued singing the 
hallel over and over again. If they were in the middle of their 
song when the first division of pascals were slaughtered, they 
stopped till the people had gone out of the Court with their 
sacrificial carcases. When the second company came into the 
Court with their animals and the slaughter re-commenced, the 
priests also began to sing. The same was done with the third 
division. Even if all the Jews could have been admitted into 
the Court in one crowd or in two, yet it was not allowed, and 
they had to be divided into three companies. While the hallel 
was was being chanted, the three fold blast was blown from the 
trumpets. 

If the pascal animal was pronounced unclean, the worshipper 
was obliged to bring another animal in its stead. The noise of 
the hallel and of the singing was heard at a great distance. The 
gates of Jerusalem were open all through the night of Pesach 
(passover), because many of the people were going in and out of 
the city. If the eve of the passover happened to be on the 
Sabbath, the people could not carry the slaughtered sacrificial 
carcases home during the daytime, but were obliged to wait till 
nightfall. The first company waited on the mount on which the 
temple stood. The second company waited in the hall that was 
dalled, Khel, and the third company had to remain standing 
where they happened to be till it became night. When the eve 
of passover fell on a week day, the carcases were immediately 
taken home to be roasted. But it was not permitted to cook them 
in a vessel, so they used a spit of the wood called rimon (pome- 
granate) which was stuck through the carcass from the mouth to 
the vent ; while the feet and the entrails, the lungs and liver were 
hung on the same spit near the mouth. The fire for roasting was 
underneath this arrangement. 

If it was already night when the roasting was done, then the 
wine was blessed and kiddush (blessed wine) was drunk ; the 
khairafes (greens) were eaten ; the Hagadah (story of the Pass- 
over) was said and another cup of wine was drunk. Three un- 


644 


lESAT NASSAR. 


leavened cakes lay on the table ; the participants of the pascal 
feast then washed and ate of the unleavened bread with bitter 
herbs, followed by the rest of the meal. Then they ate the meat 
of the peace offering over which this benediction was said : 
“ Blessed art Thou Jehovah our king who hast sanctified us by 
the righteous act of eating and drinking this sacrifice.” ^Vhen they 
were getting satisfied they said : Blessed be Thou Jehovah our 
Lord, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us by the 
rigiiteous acts of eating the j)ascal sacrifice. If even a small 
piece of the pascal sacrifice was eaten, it was acceptable. After 
this was eaten, hallel was said. 

After all, the pascal animals had been slaughtered in the temple 
Court, a low window of the Court was opened for the blood to 
flow off the floor. At the other end of the Court another window 
was opened to let in a stream of water to wash down the floor of 
the Court. — Makhzer Saider Korhan Pesakh, 

When all (the slaughtering) had been finished the priests 
washed the Great Court in which so much sacrificial blood had 
been shed. But this was not done if the passover had been slain 
on the Sabbath.” — Edersheim s Temple Life, 

The Passover Wine. — The use of wine in the pascal 
supper was strictly enjoined by tradition. According to the 
Jerusalem Talmud it was intended to express Israel’s joy on the 
pascal night, and even the poorest must have at least four cups, 
though he were to receive the money for it from the poor-box. 
( Tes, a:., i.) If he cannot otherwise obtain it, adds the Talmud, 
he must sell or pawn his coat, or hire himself out for these four 
cups of wine. Each of the four cups must contain at least the 
fourth of a quarter of an hin (the hin=one gallon and two pints). 
Red wine alone was to be used. — Edersheim' s Temple Life, 

Learning not an essential of the High Priest’s Office 
— He could be whipped by the Sanhedrim. — Even the high 
priest himself was answerable to the Sanhedrim. It is distinctly 
stated that “ if he committed an offence which by the law de- 
served whipping, the Great Sanhedrim whipped him, and then 
had him restored again to his office.” Every year a kind of 
ecclesiastical council was appointed to instruct him in his duties 
for the Day of Atonement, “ in case he were not learned,” or at 
any rate to see that he knew and remembered them. In the 


APPENDIX. 


645 


second Temple they got the high-priesthood for money; and 
there are who say they destroyed each other by witchcraft. — 
Edersheim' s Temple Life. 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 


THE BARREN FIG TREE. 

Jesus entered into the temple; and when he had looked 
round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, 
he went out unto Bethany. And on the morrow when they were 
come from Bethany, and they were come to Jerusalem, Jesus 
went into the temple, and cast out them that bought and sold in 
the temple. — And Jesus saith unto them ; Is it not written : My 
house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations ? But 
ye make it a den of robbers. 

Let there be no fruit from thee henceforth for ever. — Matt, 
xxi.^ March xi. 

And the blind and the lame came to Jesus in the temple, and 
he healed them. 

If a Talmudical Jew has been married ten years and has no 
children he is obliged to divorce his wife and marry another. — 
The Talmud allows a. woman to marry at the age of three years 
and one day, and says that when Isaac married Rebecca she was 
three years and one day old. — Home and Synagogue. The Reli- 
gious Tract Society of London^ Eiigland. 

Israel was that barren fig tree. — Allegorically, the fig 
tree served in the Old Testament as emblem of the Jewish 
nation — in the Talmud, as that of Israel’s learning, hence of the 
leaders and representatives of the people. Israel was that barren 
fig tree, and the leaves only covered their nakedness. — Joel i. 
Eder, Life of Jesus LL, 


646 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 


THE GREAT TRAITOR. 

For it was not an enemy that approached me ; then I could 
have borne it : neither was it he that hated me, that did magnify 
himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him. — 
But it was thou, a man mine equal, my companion and my fam- 
iliar friend. We took sweet counsel together; we walked in the 
house of God with the throng. — P^alm Iv, 

The good influence of Queen Helena’s faithful observance of 
the Jewish moral laws, manifests itself in both the court policy 
and the general conduct of her sons. Queen Helena had also a 
palace at Lydda, to which she retired during the latter years of 
her life. — Queen Helena and Proselyte^ in some Jewish Women ^ 
'‘‘by H Zirndorf, 

Helena Queen of Adiabene and Suzerain of Jesus had 
A Palace at Lydda. — It is in connection with Lydda and its 
tribunal, which is declared to have been capable of pronouncing 
sentence of death, that our blessed Lord and the Virgin Mary 
are introduced in certain Talmudical passages; though with 
studiously and blasphemously altered names. The statements 
are in their present form, whether from ignorance, design or in 
consequence of successive alterations, confused, and they mix up 
different events and persons in Gospel history ; among other 
things representing our Lord as condemned at Lydda. But there 
can be no reasonable question that they refer to our blessed 
Lord and his condemnation for supposed blasphemy and seduc- 
tion of the people. — Eder, Jew, Social Life, 

Jesus betrayed. — Among the followers of Jesus there was 
one called Gahse and he was in doubt about Jesus, as to what 
he was. 

Now Jesus had bidden all his people to wear the same kind 
of garment; viz. : a cloak which enveloped the wearer from 
head to foot, and there were all of the same color, so that none 
could be distinguished from the others. He had also adjured 
them not to reveal to any outside of their own company which 
of them was Jesus. Thus they entered Jerusalem. 


APPENDIX. 


647 

But when the Jewish Sages saw this multitude all clad alike, 
they suspected it to be the company of Jesus, and that he was 
among them. Therefore they ordered the temple guards to spy 
after them and not to allow any to pass singly (without examina- 
tion or identification) so as perchance they might seize Jesus 
when he was alone. But they could not succeed. 

This Gahse was desirous to know whether Jesus could save 
himself; he said to one of the Temple guards : I would point out 
to you which of us is Jesus, but I dare not, because he adjured 
each of us not to betray him. 

The Temple guard replied: I do not understand why you 
should fear any oath you have taken, when Moses our Lord 
adjured us by the holy Thorah saying : Thou shalt not suffer sin 
upon thy neighbor, which means : That all must labor to put 
away the Roshe (wicked one) from among the Jews. 

Gahse answered : I will be disgraced if I become known as a 
liar by Jesus: but as I pass through the Temple I will salute 
Jesus when I meet him as though I was paying him respect. You 
temple guards therefore take notice, and thus you can take Jesus; 
while I will remain innocent and unsuspected by him. 

When they were thus agreed Gahse did as he had promised, 
and the temple guards signalled to the Sages, who suddenly fell 
upon Jesus and seized him, saying : Show us now thy signs and 
wonders, and how thou canst deliver thyself out of our hands. 
And the disciples of Jesus could not rescue him. 

The Jewish Sages did not kill Jesus on the spot, but brought 
him up before the Sanhedrim ; and proved by witnesses, that he 
had led the people astray. 

The Sanhedrim therefore condemned him to be stoned, as it 
is written: Thou shalt stone him with stones, till he die; because 
he wanted to lead thee astray ; and thou shalt hang him upon a 
tree, that all may see the dead body. 

But they deferred the execution of the sentence to the next 
day, and meanwhile made it known, by public proclamation, that 
Yeshu Ha Nossri (Jesus the Nossri) would be stoned, and after- 
wards hanged upon a tree: because he led the Jews astray. — 
Toledoth Yeshu Ha Nossri. 

Gahs, gahsh, or jahsh, in Arabic, signifies an ass’ colt.. — The 
authors. 

Jesus Not of Davidic Descent. — Many on hearing Jesus, 


648 


lESAT NASSAR. 


said that he was the prophet promised cf old, even the Christ; 
while others raised the ignorant objection. — ‘That Jesus could 
not be the Messiah, since the Messiah must be of the seed ot 
David/ 

The leaders of the Pharisees had watched the effect of Jesus’ 
teachings. Presently, they conferred with the heads of the priest- 
hood and the chief temple officials. Orders were given to the 
temple guards, on the first possible occasion to seize him. The 
very suddeness and completeness of the blow which the Jewish 
authorities delivered, would have stunned even those who had 
deeper knowledge, more cohesion, and greater independence than 
most of those who had gone forth from the city (to welcome Jesus). 
— Edersheim's Life of Jesus ^ vol. ii. 

Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given command- 
ment, that if any man knew where Jesus was, he should shoAV it, 
that they might take him. Jesus therefore walked no more openly 
among the Jews. Then took they up stones to cast at Jesus. — 
Johfi via. xi. 

Meaning of the Cock Crow. — In the above (Zohar Tal- 
mud) is an account of the cock crowing thrice at the approach 
of death, which is evidently an explanation of, Mark xiv., 30, 68, 
72. Matt, xxvi , 74, 75. John., xiii..^ 38. See Quaballahy p. 405, 
by Isaac Myers ^ L. L. B., etc.., ecc. 


CHAPTER XXXV. 


PONTIUS PILATE. 

Jesus Rescued by his Followers. — But a great multitude 
of the people of Jesus gathered themselves together and fell upon 
the keeper of the prison and upon all the guards, and loosed Jesus 
from the pillar to which he was bound, and escaped with him 
from Jerusalem. 

But when they freed him, Jesus had said to his people : Take 
me down to a Spring of Water; for he wanted to cleanse him- 
self, that mayhap he might be able to accomplish an undertaking. 
And verily it so happened, that as soon as he was cleansed, he 
regained the power to do whatever he wished to carry out. — 
Toledoth Yeshu Ha JVossri, 


APPENDIX. 


649 


Annas and Caiaphas, and other Jews went to Pilate about 
Jesus. And they began to accuse Jesus, saying: We found this 
man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to 
Caesar, and saying that he himself is an anointed king. — 
Luke xxiiu 

Roman Officials and Soldiers Pay Respect to Jesus. — 
Then Pilate called a messenger. The messenger went forth, and 
knowing Christ, worshipped him; and having spread the cloak 
which he had upon the ground, he said : Lord walk upon this 
and go in, for the Governor calls thee. 

The Jews exclaimed against him to Pilate, and said : Why 
did you not give him (Jesus) his summons by a beadle, and not 
by a messenger ? 

And as Jesus was going in by the ensigns, who carried the 
standards, the tops of them bowed down and worshipped Jesus. 
Whereupon, the Jews exclaimed more vehemently against the 
ensigns. And Annas and Caiaphas spake to Pilate : All this mul- 
titude of people is to be regarded, who cry out that he, (Jesus) 
was born through fornication, and is a conjuror : but they who 
deny him to be born through fornication, are his proselytes and 
disciples. 

Pilate answered Annas and Caiaphas : Who are the proselytes ? 
They answered : They are those who are the children of Pagans, 
and are not become Jews, but followers of him. — Gospel Nico- 
demus /., ii, 

Pilate therefore said unto Jesus: Art thou a King then? 
Jesus answered: Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it 
thee concerning me ? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew ? Thine own 
nation, and the chief priests delivered thee unto me. What hast 
thou done ? — The multitude therefore that was with Jesus when 
he raised Lazurus from the dead, bare witness. For this cause 
also they went out and met him, for that they heard that he had 
done this sign. — John xH., John xviii. 

And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers of 
the people, and said unto them: Ye brought unto me this man, 
as one that perverteth the people, and behold, I, having examined 
him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things 
whereof ye accuse him. No, nor yet Herod. And behold, 
nothing worthy of death hath been done by him. — Luke xxiii. 


lESAT NASSAR. 


650 

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves. Ye behold 
how ye prevail nothing : lo, the world is gone after him . — John 
xii. They sought again to take Jesus; but he escaped out of 
their hands. And went away again beyond Jordan. — Joh7i x. 

Sanhedrim Required to Obtain Permit to Hold Court 
FOR Capital Offenses. — Caesar, upon hearing of the death of 
Festus, sent Albinus as procurator into Judea; but the King 
Herod Agrippa had bestowed the high priesthood on Ananus the 
younger son of Annas. This Ananus was a bold man, and 
thought that he had now a proper opportunity to exercise his au- 
thority. Festus was dead, and Albinus was but upon he road : 
so he assembled the Sanhedrim of Judges, and brought before 
them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name 
was James and some of his companions. And when they had 
formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he 
delivered them to be stoned. 

But the most equitable of the citizens and such as were un- 
easy at this breach of the laws, disliked what was done. They 
sent to the King Herod Agrippa, desiring him to send to Ananus 
that he should act so no more ; for that what he had already done 
was not to be justified. Nay, some of them went also to meet 
Albinus as he was upon his journey from Alexandria, and in- 
formed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a San- 
hedrim without his consent. Whereupon Albinus complied with 
what they said, and wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened 
that he would bring him to punishment for what he had done : 
on which King Agrippa took the high priesthood from him. 
Jos, Ant. XX, JX, I, 


CHAPTER XXXVI. 


CATCH OF THE GREAT FISHES. 

Jesus Regains Power, and Converts many Gentiles. — 
Jesus commanded that a millstone should be brought to him, 
which was so large that three persons could sit upon it. He had 
this Stone placed upon the water ; the Stone began to float, and 
the whole community of several hundred men sat down upon that 
Stone. Then Jesus spoke to the fish of the Lake and they all 


APPENDIX. 


^51 

gathered themselves together and jumped upon the Stone. Jesus 
also provided bread for his people and flesh and wood. Then he 
spoke, and new clothing, all ready made, was brought to them. 
For as soon as he had cleansed (or cleared) himself, he regained 
the power to effect whatever he desired. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri. 

Jesus said unto Peter and Andrew his brother: Follow me, 
and I will make you fishers of men. — Matt, iv. 

After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disci- 
ples at the sea of Tiberias, and he manifested on this wise. There 
were together Simon, Peter and Thomas called Didymus, and 
Nathan ial of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two 
other of his disciples. Peter saith unto them: I go a fishing. 
They say unto him: We also come with thee. They went forth 
and entered into the boat ; and that night they took nothing.— 
But when day was now breaking Jesus stood on the beach. And 
he said unto them : Cast the net on the right side of the boat, 
and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not 
able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. - So when they got 
out upon the land, they see a fire of charcoal there, and fish laid 
thereon and bread. — Jesus said unto them: Bring of the fish 
which ye have now taken. — Peter therefore went aboard and drew 
the net to land, full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and 
three. — ^Jesus saith unto them : Come, break your fast. Jesus 
cometh, and taketh the bread, and giveth them, and the fish like- 
wise. — John xxL 

The Cross not Found on Old Christian Tombs. — The 
Christian tombs occur first among those of the Jews, and also 
with others thought to be those of the worship of Mithra, the 
friend or God of Light (of Aryan origin.) The emblems of the 
palm, dove, fish, anchor, phoenix, the tare, the labarum, and the 
fylfot occur, but not the cross. Fish are represented with the 
Eucharistic cake. It seems possible that these emblems were 
chosen as least likely to offend Roman Paganism, and as easily 
adaptable to a Pagan interpretation. — Roman Period^ hi Syrian 
Stone Lore by C. R. Conder, R. E. 

Fish Symbolical of Gods or Leaders. — Fish, or at least 
a certain species of fish, were sacred to Atgartis, and forbidden 
food to all her worshippers. Yet fish were daily cooked and pre- 


lESAT NASSAR. 


652 

sented on the table to the Goddess, being afterwards consumed by 
the priests. Assyrian cylinders display the fish laid on the altar, 
or presented before it ; while, in one example, a figure which 
stands by in adoration, is clothed or rather disguised in a gigan- 
tic fish skin. This implies that the worshipper presents himself 
as a fish, i. e. as a being kindred to his sacrifice, and doubtless 
also to the deity to which it is sacrificed. — W, Robertson Smith's 
Religion of the Semites. 

Oannes, or sacred man fish, who, according to the traditions 
preserved by Berossus, issued from the Erythraean Sea, instructed 
the Chaldeans in all wisdom ; in the sciences and in the fine 
arts, and was afterwards worshipped as a God in the Temples of 
Babylon. Its body, says the historian, was that of a fish, but 
under the head of a fish was that of a man, and to its tail were 
joined woman’s feet. The Dagon of the Philistines and of the 
Phoenician coast was worshipped under the same form. — Layard's 
Babylon and Ninaveh, 


CHAPTER XXXVII. 


JESUS VERSUS JUDAISM AND ESSENISM. 

Jesus said unto them: Ye call me Master and Lord; and 
ye say well ; for so I am. — John xiiu 

From that day, Jesus began to show unto his disciples, how 
that he must suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and 
scribes, and be killed. 

Then Peter took Jesus and began to rebuke him, saying: 
God have mercy on thee ! Pity thyself Lord, this shall not hap- 
pen unto thee. But Jesus said unto Peter : Get thee behind me ; 
thou art a stumbling block unto me ; for thou mindest not the 
things that be of God, but the things of men. 

And he said unto his disciples : These things have I spoken 
unto you, that ye should not be made to stumble. They shall 
put you out of the synagogues : yea the time cometh, that who- 
soever killeth you, will think that he doeth God service. If they 
have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; and if the 
world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 


APPENDIX. 


^53 

You shall be delivered up even by parents and brethren, and kins- 
folk and friends, and some of you they shall cause to be put to 
death. — John xv, xvi, Luke xxi,, new ver. 

Sanhedrim can Punish when it Sees Fit, whether the 
People Transgress the Law or Do Not. — There be traiis- 
gressions which the Beth-Deen, (/. Judgment Hall or Court 
of the Sanhedrim) were constrained to punish by excommunica- - 
tion, scourging and death; as it is recorded in the writings of our 
Sages. The Beth-Deen hath also the authority to punish its 
people and to scourge them, when the age demands it ; that is, 
when they (the Sanhedrim) perceive that the generation is lax,” 
(in Judaic observances) as we learn in Mesikhte Sanhedrin and 
Yabanoth. Rabbi Eleazar, Ben Yacub said : have heard that 

Beth-Deen may kill and punish the people even when according 
to the Thorah (Mosaic Law) they do not merit it. The Beth- 
Deen, however, do not transgress the Thorah by such action 
towards the people ; since thereby they hedge a fence around 
the Law. In the days of the Zealots, it happened that a man 
rode on a horse on the Sabbath day. For this he was brought 
into the Beth-Deen and he was stoned to death. Not because 
such was the penalty according to the A1 Pe Thorah (oral law) 
but because the time demanded such procedure ; for the Jews 
had resolved that Israel should forsake their Amoonie (constancy 
to creed) and that generation had taken the opportunity to trans- 
gress against Judaism. So the man was put to death; in order 
that the people of the Jews might be restrained and curbed from 
escaping the Dath Yehudah. (Dath, from Addat, an instrument 
a tool. Thus designating the laws of Judaism as a tool whereby 
the Rabbis might work the people.) ” The Beth-Deen also had 
authority to punish and to Judge persons, to destrain their goods, 
to bind them hand and foot, to cast them into prison, and to in- 
flict all manner of punishments which they, the Sanhedrim, 
decided that the people deserved. — Talmud Menora, 

What Excommunication Meant. — Excommunication more- 
over entailed the confiscation of property. By ceasing to be a 
Jew, a man did not become a Roman, he was left without de- 
fence against the power of a theocratic legislation of the most atro- 
cious severity. — I. Esdras ix. Ezra x. Heh. x. 34. Talm, of 
Jesus. Moed Eulow III., I. Renan's Life of Jesus. 


6S4 


lESAT NASSAU. 


But Saul laid waste the Church, entering into every house, and 
haling men and women, committed them to prison. And Saul, 
yet breathing, threatening and slaughter against the disciples of 
the Lord Jesus, went unto the High Priest, and asked of him let- 
ters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that 
were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them 
bound unto Jerusalem. — Ac^s Apostles viii., ix. 

All Jews forced to pay Temple tribute. — The Mishna 
lays it down, that the goods of those might be destrained, who had 
not paid the Temple tribute by the 25th Adar. — Eder. Life of 
Jesus II, 

The Jews managed to Obtain more Rights and 
Plivileges than the People of the Countries among 
WHOM THEY LivED, ENJOYED. — The Israelites, as a general rule, 
obtained the rights of citizenship, with the right of governing 
themselves by thetr own laws. They had courts of their own, 
independent of the ordinary magistrates ; they had their presiding 
officials, called variously, according to the locality, Allabarchs, 
Archontes, Genarchs, or Ethnarchs, who directed the affairs of 
the community and acted in its name. If any town denied them 
these prerogatives, the Jews assumed the air of a persecuted pea- 
pie, lamented their unhappy lot, all the time intriguing, buying up 
powerful patrons, and never abandoning their opportunities until 
they had succeeded in at least obtaining perfect liberty for their 
religious rites. This simple concession sufficed to make them a 
privileged class ; for it exempted them from military service and 
the taxes that were imcompatible with the Mosaic prescriptions. 
It Avas forbidden to summon them before the court during their 
festive seasons. These franchises were in full vigor throughout 
the whole Roman Empire, and attracted hither Jews from all 
parts. Their fortunes and their business enterprises assumed such 
political importance under Julius Caesar that the Dictator thought 
it the wisest plan to follow the same policy which Alexander had 
adopted in governing them. By four successive edits, he assured 
to them not only their entire independence, but other privileges 
as well. The High Priest at Jerusalem was recognized as the 
Patron of the dispersed Israelites, and held the right of setting 
forth his client’s complaint before the Emperor’s or the Proconsul’s 
tribunal always finding free access thereto. These ordinances of 
Caesar were confirmed by Augustus, and decreed anew by Claud- 


APPENDI5C. 


^55 


ius. All this resulted in consiituting the Jews as a real national 
body existing throughout all the Empire ; for even in the cities 
which had kept their own autonomy, the magistrates conformed 
their conduct towards the Jews with that of Rome, in so far that 
the intervention of the High Priest was sufficient to put a stop to 
any undertaking against the liberties of Israel. Everywhere, in 
fact, the Roman Governors evidenced the greatest care to consult 
the wishes of Judaism ; so powerful did they feel it to be ! If but 
one of them attempted to meddle with their property or with the 
rights of some synagogue, the Israelites of all lands, particularly 
those of the capital, stirred up their countrymen to combine against 
the agressor. — Saint Peter and First Years of Christianity, by the 
Abbe Constant Foimrd, with introduction by Cardinal Gibbons, 

The Jewish Soul, its Parts and Uses. — The soul has 
five distinct parts and names. '1 hese are the nephesh, the ruah, 
the neshamah, the khaya, the yakhida. In the working days, be- 
tween the feast and the increase of the moon, comes to him the 
nephesh (animal soul); on the feast day, comes to him the ruah 
(human spirit) ; on the day of atonement, comes the neshamah 
(divine soul), and on the Sabbath, the supernumerary soul, which 
is the mystery of khaya (life). The mystery of voluptuousness on 
the Sabbath is to exhilerate the supernumerary soul. The super- 
numerary soul carries out the mind of man to eating and drink- 
ing, and makes him eat and drink with appetite and pleasure. — 
Talmud Jalkut Cadesh and Rabbi Sol. Jar chi in Tanith; Mod. 
Jud., John Allen. 

What Originated the Idea of Five Parts of the soul? 
— The five parts and names of the soul above mentioned, may 
possibly have originally meant the five stages of development ol 
the human being, which the Rabbis probably learnt from ancient 
religions. These names seem to have been derived from the 
Arabic. Thus Khaya, is probably from the Arabic, hayaat—life 
— and may mean the beginning of life before birth. The word 
Nefesh, in Arabic, nafs ornafes — breath — may refer to the period 
of birth, when the child begins to breathe. The word Ruah, most 
probably is also from the Arabic, roh — essence, soul — and may 
refer to the age when self-consciousness begins. The word Nes- 
hama, from the Arabic, naseem — zephyr, soft animating breeze — 
may mean the stage of the awakening of the intellect, when youth 
begins to exercise its own intellectual powers. The word Yak- 


656 


APPENDIX. 


hida, is probably from the Arabic, wahada or aliada — to unite, 
combine — and may mean the state of maturity, when the person 
has united liis intellectual attributes into one single individuality. 
— The Authors. 

Rabbinical Doctrines — Indulgence Inculated. — Every 
Jew is commanded by the Rabbis to eat garlic on Friday night 
as a stimulant, to get drunk on P'riday night or Saturday, to court 
his wife in honor of the Sabbath, which is likewise to be spent in 
prayer and all attainable pleasures. The Talmud also expressly 
commands the Jews to get drunk on Purim Day. — Judas Iscariot. 
Alin. Pub. Co. 

Wine is the mysterious vitality and spiritual energy of created 
things — Qabballah., by Isaac Afyers, LL.B. 

A man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat and 
drink and to be merry. — Eccles. viii. 

Essene Abstinence Enforced. — Those Essenes who live 
together and eat at the same table, are day after day contented 
with the same things ; being lovers of frugality and moderation, 
and averse to all sumptuousness and extravagance, as a disease 
both of mind and body. They eat nothing of a costly character, 
but plain bread and a seasoning of salt, which the more luxurious 
of them do further season with hyssop : and their drink is water 
from the spring; for they oppose those feelings which Nature has 
made mistresses of the human race ; namely, hunger and thirst, 
giving them nothing to flatter them and humor them, but only 
such useful things as is not possible to exist without. At their 
sacred feasts, wine is not introduced, but only the clearest water; 
cold water for the generality, and hot water for those old men 
who are accustomed to a luxurious life. And the table, too, bears 
nothing which has blood ; for wine is the medicine of folly, and 
costly seasonings and sauces excite desire. On the table, are 
placed loaves and salt without seasoning, ""and the bread is un- 
leavened, and the salt unmixed with anything else. — Works of 
Philo Judaeus. 

Christian moderation enjoined. — Jesus said: Not that 
which entereth into the mouth, defileth the man. John the Bap- 
tist is come eating no bread nor drinking wine ; and ye say : He 
hath a demon. The Son of Man is come eating and drinking; 
and ye say: Behold a gluttonous man. — A/a//. xv.., Luke vii . — 


APPENDIX. 


657 

Men that count it pleasure to revel in the daytime ; spots and 
blemishes; revelling in their love- feasts ; having eyes full of 
adultery and that cannot cease from sin. — But let your modera- 
tion be known unto all men. Let us walk honestly ; not in re- 
velling and drunkenness; not in chambering and wantonness. 
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision 
for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. — -//. Peter Philemon iv., 
Romans xii. 

Status of Jewish Women. — Whv Women are Prohibited 
FROM Appearing AS Witnesses, — But let not the testimony of 
women be admitted, on account of the boldness and levity of 
their sex ; nor let servants be admitted to give testimony on the 
account of the ignobility of their souls . — Josephus Antiquities IKy 
VIILylS. 

Women Should Live in Seclusion and be Confined to 
Domestic Work. — Market places and council chambers, and 
large companies and assemblies of numerous crowds, and a life 
in the open air full of arguments and actions relating to war and 
peace, are suited to man. But taking care of the house and re- 
maining at home are the proper duties of women ; the virgins 
having their apartments in the centre of the house within the 
innermost doors, and the full grown women not going beyond 
the vestibule and outer court. Let no women busy herself about 
those things which are beyond the province of economy; but let 
her cultivate solitude, and not be seen to be going about like a 
woman who walks the streets in the sight of other men, except 
when it is necessary for her to go the temple, if she has any 
proper regard for nerself. And even then, let her not go at noon 
when the market is full, but after the greater part of the 
people have returned home. 

Woman Created for Mans’s Pleasure, but is His In- 
ferior AND Accusiomed TO BE DECEIVED. — God cast a deep 
trance upon Adam and took one of his ribs, etc. This literal 
statement is a fabulous one. Irhmediately after the creation of 
the mind, it was necessary that the external sense should be 
created. — “ He took one of his ribs he took one of the powers 
of his mind, namely, the power which dwells in the outward 
senses. Moses adds, that He built it up into a woman;’* 
showing by this expression that woman ” is the most natural 

42 


658 


lESAT NASSAR. 


and felicitously given name for the external senses. This was so 
ordained in the first place, that the woman might not be of equal 
dignity with the man. And, since the elements of which our 
souls consist are two in number, the rational and the irrational 
part, the rational part belongs to the male sex, being the inherit- 
ance of intellect and reason ; but the irrational part belongs to 
the woman, which is the lot also of the outward senses. It was 
suitable that the immortality and every good thing should be 
represented as under the power of the man ; and death and every 
evil under that of the woman. I'he Serpent, having formed his 
estimate of virtue, devised a treacherous strategem against them. 
But the woman was more accustomed to be deceived than the 
man; she easily yields, and is easily caught by the persuasions of 
falsehood. The literal expression : The Serpent beguiled me and 
I did eat, affords ground for that probable opinion, that woman 
is accustomed rather to be deceived than to devise any thing of 
importance out of her own head. But with the man, the case is 
just the contrary. 

Women too Silly and Depraved for God to notice Them 
SEPARATELY. — God Said to Adam : Where art thou ? But God 
did not condescend to put any question to the woman at all ; 
looking upon her as the cause of all the evil which had occurred,, 
and as the guide of her husband to a life of shame. The woman, 
therefore, that is the outward sense, is also summoned together 
with Adam, that is the mind; but separately God does not sum- 
mon her. Because being destitute of reason, she is incapable of 
being convicted by herself. The woman, being imperfect and 
depraved by nature, made the beginning by sinning and pre- 
varicating, but the man, as being the more excellent and perfect 
creature, was the first to set the example of blushing and of being 
ashamed, and indeed of every good feeling and action. — Works 
of Philo Judaeus, 

The Neshamah soul of the Male comes from male; and the 
Neshamah soul of the Female is from female, and that is why the 
Serpent went after Havah (Eve), he said to himself: Because her 
soul is from the north, the Left or Evil Side, I can persuade her 
quickly. — Quabbalah, by Isaac JlJyers, LL, B, 

God failed to create a Good Woman spite of all his 
Precautions — Rabbi Levi says: Wprpen have four evil traits. 


APPENDIX. 


659 

They are greedy as Eve who ate of the tree of knowledge. They 
want to find out all secrets, and to know even what does not con- 
cern them. They are envious as Rachael against Leah. They 
are lazy and slow. And the rabbis say that women have two 
more bad characteristics, for they cannot endure any thing that 
opposes them and quickly become ill-tempered; even as Sarah 
quickly got angry with Abraham on account of Hagar. And 
secondly women talk a great deal. 

Rabbi Yohanan says : When God wanted to make woman, 
he first considered out of which member it was best to create her. 
It is written : Elohim took a rib,’^ etc., that means, he concluded 
to make her out of a rib. For God had said to himself: “ If I 
create woman out of the eye of Adam, she will be greedy to lust 
after everything.’’ But although she was not created out of the 
eye, woman still was greedy, and lusted to eat of the tree of 
knowledge. God said : If I make woman out of the hand, 
she will want to steal. If I create her out of the mouth, she will 
always want to talk. If I create her out of the foot, she will al- 
ways want to be running about from house to house. If I create 
her out of the head she will be proud and hold her head up high. 
Therefore, said God, I will create her out of a hidden member, 
the rib which cannot be seen, even when the man is naked. But 
all these precautions did not avail, and God says : I did not create 
woman from the head, and yet she holds her head high. I did 
not create her out of the eye, yet she want^i to see everything. I 
did not create her from the ear, yet she listens to what she has no 
business to hear. I did not create her out of the heart, and yet 
she is always envious of others. I did not create her from the 
hand, and yet she always wants to lay hands on everything. I 
did not create her out of the foot, and yet she is a gad-about. 

Women are also very light, so that they can easily be seduced. 
The nature of man is to lust after women, and when they asso- 
ciate with them, the evil desire is increased and induces them to 
desire those that are forbidden, rather than those that are allowed. 
Therefore, to separate man from such lust and to save him from 
such secret snare, that he may not be caught in it, it is written in 
Mysikhe Shabbas (Book of the Sabbath) : A woman is like unto 
a vessel that is full of filth, whose mouth is full of blood, and yet 
all run after her. Therefore our Jewish Sages have given advice 
unto man, that he should not talk much with a woman, because 
they perceived that through conversation a man may be led to 


66o lESAT NASSAR. 

adultery. Our Sages have also commanded that a man should 
not talk much, even with his wife, and Rabbi Yohanan says: It 
is Better to walk behind a lion than to walk behind a woman. — 
Talmud Beresheth a 7 id Menorah, 

Why women must not pray aloud, and must clap their 
HANDS WHEN SINGING. — Miriam (sister of Moses) took a timbrel 
and played upon it, and all the women of Israel danced for joy. 
Miriam took a timbrel, and not another instrument of music, in 
order that the drumming on it should exceed and prevent the 
men hearing the voices of the women; because it is a sin to hear 
the voice of a woman. Therefore it is now the custom for women 
to clap their hands when they sing at a wedding ; in order that 
the men should not hear their voices, for a man thinks of evil 
designs w'hen he hears the voice of a woman. Also if the women 
pray aloud, they distract the minds of men from their prayers. — 
Talmud Khoomish Torah Parsheth Vaishlakh. 

Women, slaves and children, are exempt from reciting the, 
‘Hear O Israel.’ — Mishna Beracoth II I. ^ 3. See Conder's Jews 
under Pome, in Palestine Exploration^ Quat. State tnent^ Jan, 
1894. 

One man among a thousand, have I found ; but a woman 
among all these, have I not found. — Ecclesiastus VIL 

Womam’s property passes to husband on marriage — 

WOMEN MUST NOT STUDY MUST NOT TEACH IN SvNAGOGUE. 

— The Mishna lays it down as a principle, that a man should not 
teach his son a trade which necessitates constant intercourse with 
the other sex (Kidd, IV., 14). 

According to Jewish law, there were four obligations incumb- 
ant on a wife towards her husband, viz. . all her gains should 
belong to her husband, as also what came to her after marriage 
by inheritance, that the husband should have the usufruct of her 
dowry and of any gains by it. 

An ancient Jewish commentary explains that w^omen w'ho 
brought death into our w^orld, ought to lead the way in the fun- 
eral procession. 

If women, proselytes, stewards or slaves brought first fruits, 
the regular service was not gone through, since such could not 
truthfully have said either one of these verses : “ I am come to 


APPENDIX. 


66l 


the country wliich the Lord sware to our fathers to give us,” or, 
‘‘ I have brought the first fruits of the land which Thou hast 
given me.” 

The separation of the sexes which was observed even in the 
Temple at the time of Christ, was strictly carried out in the Syna- 
gogues ; such division being made effectual by a partition, boarded 
off and provided with gratings, to which there was separate ac- 
cess. The Rabbis find in this case their warrant in Zech., xii., 
11-14, where the wives” are no less than five times spoken of as 
“apart,” while engaged in their prayerful mourning. 

The Rabbis did not approve of the same amount of instruc- 
tion being given to girls as to boys. More particularly they dis- 
approved of their engaging in legal (rabbinical) studies — pardy 
because they considered a woman’s mission and duties as lying in 
another direction — partly because of the familiar intercourse be- 
tween the sexes to which such occupations would have necessarily 
led; and finally because the Rabbis regarded woman’s mind as 
not adapted for such investigation. They said: “Women are of 
a light mind.” Jewish women would never have attempted teach- 
ing in the Synagogue — for rabbinical study, however valued for 
the male sex, was disapproved of in the case of women. The 
Rabbis said : “ Whosoever allows himself to be ruled by his wife, 
shall call out and no one will make answer to him . — EdersheMs 
Jew. Social Life and Eder. Temple Services. 

Privilege to wrong and ill treat women reserved 
FOR JEWS ONLY. — In popular practice, divorce must have been 
very frequent; while the principles underlying Jewish legislation 
on the subject, are most objectionable. Two disgusting instances 
of Rabbis making proclamation of their wish to be married for a 
day, in a strange place and then divorced, are mentioned in 
Yoma, 18. b. These were due to the lower estimate of women 
and to an unspiritual view of the marriage relations. Divorce 
was regarded as a privilege accorded only to Israel, not to 
the Gentiles. This by a very profane application to this point 
of the expression, “God of Israel,” in Mai. ii. 16. As we read 
the Liturgy of the Synagogue we come ever and again upon 
such and similar thanksgiving: Blessed are Thou, Lord our 
God, King of the world, that Thou hast not made me a stranger 
(Gentile) . . . a servant, . . . d^^ovadox.—Edersheim's 

Life of Jesus. 


662 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Among the Hottentots, blood is allowed to men, but not to 
women ; the female sex being, among savages, excluded from 
many holy privileges. Similarly the flesh of the Hebrew sin- 
offering must be eaten only by males (Lev. vi., 22, 29) and among 
the Caffres, the head, the breast and the heart are man's part. 
(Lichtenstein, p. 41.) W. Robertso 7 i Smith's Religion of the 
S-^mites. 

Status of Women Among the Essenes. — The common 
holy place to which all the Essenes come together on the seventh 
day, is a twofold circuit; being separated partly into the apart- 
ment for the men, and partly into a chamber for the women. 
For women also, in accordance with the usual fashion there, form 
a part of the audience; having the same feeling of adoration as 
the men, and having adopted the same sect with equal delibera- 
tion and decision. The order in which they sit down to meat, is 
a divided one ; the. men sitting on the right hand and the women 
on the left. 

The Essenes also assemble at the end of seven weeks; vener- 
ating, not only the simple week of seven days, but also its mul- 
tiplied power. The women also share in this feast, the greater 
part of whom, though old, are virgins; not indeed through 
necessity, but out of an admiration for, and love of, wisdom, with 
which they are desirous to pass their lives, and on account of 
which they are indifferent to the pleasures of the body. After the 
feast they celebrate the sacred festival all night. They all stand 
up together and two choruses are formed, the one of men, the 
other of women. Then they join together, and the two choruses 
become one chorus; Now the chorus of male and female 
worshippers, make a truly musical symphony. — Works of Fhilo 
Judaeus. 

Status of Women Under the Gospel of Jesus. — Jesus 
said : I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to 
lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart. But 
from the beginning of the Creation, Male and Female, made God 
them. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor 
free, there is neither Male nor Female; for ye are all one in 
Christ Jesus. — Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also 
loved the Church, and gave himself for it : So ought men to love 
their wives. 

Jesus went about through cities and villages, preaching and 


APPENDIX. 


663 


bringing the good tidings of the Kingdom of God, and with him 
the twelve and certain women. Mary that was called Magdalene, 
and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, 
and many others. These (Apostles) all with one accord continued 
steadfastly in prayer with the women and Mary the mother of 
Jesus. I’hilip the Evangelist, had four daughters, virgins, which 
did prophesy (/. teach in public). — Matt. v. Mark x. Gala- 
tians Hi. Luke via. Acts Apostles i.^ xxi. 

Rabbis Amazed at Jesus' Being Considerate to Women. 
— That Jesus should converse with a woman was so contrary to all 
Judean notions of a Rabbi, that they wondered. Christ pro- 
gressively placed himself in antagonism to the Jewish religious 
thought of his time: we find it in the whole spirit and bearing of 
what he did and said; especially in the history of the much for- 
given woman. A Jewish Rabbi could not have so acted; he 
would not even have understood Jesus; nay, a Rabbi, however 
])itiful and gentle, would in word and deed, have taken precisely 
the opposite direction from that of the Christ. — EdersheinC s Life 
of Jesus. Vol. L. 

Status of Children According to Jewish Doctrines. — 
It was thought better even to neglect study (rabbinical) than to 
remain single. Yet money cares on account of wife and children 
were dreaded. Such cases are called by the Rabbis, ‘‘A millstone 
round the neck.” [Kidd. 29, b.) In fact the expression seems to 
have become proverbial. — Eder. Jew. Social Life. 

Infants and young children unclean and evil like 
their mothers — The building of the body is thus : the Ruah 
spirit comes from the Holy Spirit; the Neshamah soul, from that 
Tree of Life ; and the other, the Evil Side (the Woman) gives 
the flesh, and only the flesh comes from its side, and not another 
thing. At the time that Man comes into the world, at that 
instant appears in him the evil spirit, Ye-tzer-ha-rah. This evil 
spirit never leaves man from the day he is born into the world. 
And the good spirit Ye-tzer-ha-tob comes to the man from the 
day that he becomes clean. And when does man become clean ? 
As soon as he is thirteen years of age. From thirteen years of 
age, God places him under the charge of two angels to watch 
him. — Quabbalah, by Isaac Meyers., LL.B. 

Marriagable age of Jewish Girls. — The Talmud lays it 


664 


lESAT NASSAR. 


down that a female child may be married at three years and a day 
old. It says that Rebecca was three years and a day old when 
Isaac married her. — Home and Synagogue. The Religious Tract 
Society of London., Engla7id. 

Naughty boys to be stoned by the congregation. — If a 
man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the 
voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and though they 
chasten him, will not hearken unto them ; then shall his father 
and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the 
elders of his city, and unto the gates of his place ; and they shall 
say unto the elders of his city: This our son is stubborn and 
rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a riotous liver and a 
drunkard. And all the men of the city shall stone him with 
stones. — Deuteronomy\ xxi. 

Childhood and youth are vanity. Withhold not correction 
from the child. Thou shall beat him with the rod. — Ecclesiastes 
xi. Troveids xxiii. Play with thy child, and he will bring thee 
to heaviness. Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with 
him. Give him no liberty in his youth. Bow down his neck 
while he is young, and beat him on the sides while he is a child. 
Chastise thy son, and hold him to labor. And beware of thine 
own children. — Ecclesiasticus xxx.., xxxi. 

Pre-Natal Sin. — The Jews held that an un-born child 
might contract guilt, since the Yetzer-ha-ra or evil disposition, 
which was present from its earliest formation, might even then be 
called into activity. — Eder. Jew. Social Life. 

Jews may sell their daughters for servants. — The 
Torah (Mosaic Law) allows a father to sell his daughter for a 
servant, to an Israelite. But when a man sells his daugter for a 
servant, she shall not go out free like the Canaanitish maid-ser- 
vant does if her eye or her tooth has been knocked out. If 
a daughter of Israel has had her eye or tooth knocked out, the 
master must pay her for it and she shall continue to serve her 
time. — Talmud Parasheth Meshputim Khamisha Torah. 

Status of Children under the Gospel of Jesus. — They 
brought young children to Jesus, that he should lay his hands on 
them and pray. And disciples rebuked them that brought them. 
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased and said unto 


APPENDIX. 


66s 


them : Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them 
not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily, I say unto you, 
that whosoever will not receive the kingdom of God as a little 
child, shall in no wise enter therein. Then Jesus took the chil- 
dren up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. 
— Matt, xviii, xix. Mark zx.^ x. Luke ix,, xviii. 

Children, obey your parents in the Lord. And ye fathers, 
provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged ; 
but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. — 
Ephesians vi, Colossians Hi, 

Jewish Messiah could not have blessed children. — 
The account of Jesus blessing infants and little children, is all so 
utterly unlike what Jewish legend would have invented for its 
Messiah. For, how utterly contrary it w^as to all Jewish notions, 
and how incompatible with the supposed dignity of a Rabbi, 
appears from the rebuke of the disciples. — Edersheim,, Life of 
Jesus, Vol, II, 

Status of rulers according to Jewish Doctrines. — He 
that is despised and hath a servant, is better than he that honoreth 
himself and lacketh bread. — Proverbs xix., 9. Delight is not 
seemly for a fool ; much less for a servant to reign over princes. 
— Prov, xix,, 10. The earth is disquieted and cannot bear a ser 
vant when he reigneth, — Prov, xxx. 

Status of rulers according to the Doctrines of Jesus. 
— Jesus said unto them : The kings of the Gentiles have lordship 
over them ; and they that exercise authority upon them are 
called Benefactors. But ye shall not be so : but he that is greater 
among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is Chief, as 
he that doth serve. Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say 
well ; for so I am : but I am among you as he that serveth. — 
Luke xxii, John xiii. 

Relations between Masters and Slaves, Employers and 
Employees according to Jewish Doctrines. — If a man 
smite his servant or his maid with a rod, and he die under his 
hand, he shall surely be punished. Notwithstanding if he con- 
tinue a day or two, he shall not be punished ; for he is his money. 
— Exodus xxi. If thou have a servant, entreat him as a brother, 
for thou hast need of him as of thine own soul ; if thou entreat 


666 


lESAT NASSAR. 


him evil and he run away from thee, which way wilt thou go to 
seek him ? — Ecclesiastictis xxxiii. 

Conditions of Service among the Essenes. — There is not 
a single slave among the Essenes, but they are all free; adding 
one another with a reciprocal interchange of good offices, and 
they condemn Masters, not only as unjust, inasmuch as they cor- 
rupt the very principles of equality, but likewise as impious ; be- 
cause they destroy all the ordinances of Nature which generated 
them all equally. They look upon the possession of servants or 
slaves to be a thing absolutely and wholly contrary to Nature, 
for Nature has created all men free. In the sacred entertain- 
ments of the Essenes, there is no slave ; but free men minister to 
the guests, performing the offices of servants ; not under compul- 
sion, nor in obedience to any imperious commands, but of their 
voluntary free will. For they are not any chance free men who 
are appointed to perform these duties, but young men who are 
selected from their order with all possible care on account of their 
excellence. They come in to perform their service ungirdled, 
and with their tunics let down, in order that nothing which bears 
any resemblance to a slavish appearance may be introduced into 
this festival. — Works of Philo Judaeus. 

Relations between Employers and Employees accord- 
ing TO THE TEACHINGS OF Jesus. — But which of you having a 
servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by 
when he is come from the field : Go and sit down to meat. And 
will not rather say unto him : Make ready wherewith I may sup, 
and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken ; 
and afterward thou shalt eat and drink. Doth he thank that ser- 
vant because he did the things that were commanded him ? I 
trow not. — Luke xvii. Masters, give unto your servants that 
which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in 
heaven. — I, Thessalonions, iv. The laborer is worthy of his hire. 

Attitude of the Jewish Priests and Rabbis regarding 
Taxation by the State. — Members of the families of the High 
Priests were wont to secure the farming of the taxes by intrigues 
and flattery. They practised the most cruel and unjust extor- 
tions on the people; thus gathered great wealth and escaped 
censure or punishment, by bribery in high places. — Josephus An- 
tiquities xii., iv. 


APPENDIX. 


667 


Decree of Julius Caesar. — I Caius Julius Caesar, Imperator 
the second time and High Priest, made this decree with the 
approbation of the Senate. Whereas Hyrcanus, the Son of 
Alexander the Jew, hath demonstrated his fidelity and diligence 
about our affairs, and this both now and in former times, in 
peace and in war, and came to our assistance in the last Alexan- 
drian war with fifteen hundred soldiers. For these reasons, I 
will that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, and his children, be 
governors of the Jews and have the high priesthood of the 
Jews for ever; and that he and his sons be our confederates; 
and that besides this, every one of them be reckoned among 
our particular friends. I also ordain that he and his children 
retain whatever privileges belong to the office of High Priest 
and whatsoever favors have hitherto been granted to them. If 
at any time hereafter there arise any question about the Jewish 
customs, I will that he (High Priest) determine the same. And 
I think it not proper that the Jews should be obliged to find us 
winter quarters, or that any money should be required of them. 

Caius Julius Caesar, Consul the fourth time hath decreed: — 
That the Jews shall possess Jerusalem, and may encompass that 
city with walls, and that Hyrcanus the son of Alexander, High 
Priest and Governor of the Jews retain it in the manner he 
himself pleases; and the Jews be allowed to deduct out of 
their tribute, every second year the land is let, a corus of that 
tribute. — I also ordain that the tribute which the jews 

PAY BE NOT LET TO FARM ; NOR THAT THEY BE OBLIGED TO PAY 
TRIBUTE ALWAYS. 

Also that all the country of the Jews do pay a yearly tribute 
to the city of Jerusalem That they pay their tribute in Sidon, 
the fourth part of what was sown. — Besides this, they are to pay 
to Hyrcanus and his sons, the same tithes which they paid to 
their forefathers. — Also no one, neither president, nor lieutenant 
nor ambassador shall raise auxilliaries within the bounds of Judea. 
Nor may soldiers exact money for winter quarters, or under any 
other pretence from the inhabitants of the Jews of Judea. But 
they shall be free from all sorts of imposition on any thing they 
are in possession of, or have bought or shall hereafter have ; they 
shall retain them all. 

It is also our pleasure that the city of Joppa, which the Jews 
had formerly when they made a league of friendship with the 
Romans, shall belong to them. Also that Hyrcanus and his sons 


66S 


lESAT NASSAR. 


shall have as tribute from that city, from those that occupy the 
land for the country and for what they export to Sidon, 20,675 
modi every year. — It is also the pleasure of the Senate, that as to 
the villages which are in the Great Plain, Hyrcanus and the 
Jews have them with the same privileges with which they formerly 
had them. — That the same ordinances remain still in force which 
concern the Jews with regard to their High Priest, tiiat they enjoy 
the same benefits which they had formerly by the concession of 
the people and of the Senate; also that they enjoy the same 
privileges in Lydda. It is also the pleasure of the Senate that 
Hyrcanus, their governor, and the Jews retain those places, coun- 
tries, and villages which belonged to the King of Syria and 
Phoenicia the confederates of the Romans — Josephus Antiquities^ 
xiv., via. 

It was held lawful to make false returns, to speak untruths, or 
almost to use any means to avoid paying taxes. — {Ned, 27, b., 28 
a.) Till the time of Caesar, the taxes were farmed in Rome at the 
highest bidding. But by a decree of Caesar, the taxes of Judea 
were no longer farmed, but levied by publicans in Judea, and 
paid directly to the Government, the officials being appointed by 
the provincials themselves. This was indeed a great alleviation, 
although it perhaps made the tax gatherers only more unpopular, 
as being the direct officials of the heathen powers. Cases are 
recorded, when a religious publican would extend favor to 
Rabbis, or give them timely notice to go into hiding. — Eders- 
heMs Life of Jesus. Jew. Social Life. 

Teachings and Example cf Jesus on the Rights of 
Taxation by the State. — Certain of the Pharisees and of the 
Herodians said unto him : Master, is it lawful to give tribute to 
Caesar or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give ? — Jesus said 
unto them: Render unto Caesar, the things that are Caesar’s, and 
unto God, the things that are God’s. — Mark xii. They that re- 
ceived the tribute money (at Capernaum) came to Peter and said: 
Doth not your Master pay tribute ? He saith : Yes. And when 
he was come into the house, Jesus spake first to him saying: 
What thinkest thou, of whom do the Kings of the earth take 
tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto 
him: Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him: d'hen are the children 
free. — Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou, and 
give for thee and me. — Matt. xvii. — For this cause ye pay tribute 


APPENDIX. 


669 


also ; for they (civil rulers) are ministers of God’s service, attend- 
ing continually upon tins very thing. Render to all their dues ; 
tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to 
whom fear, honor to whom honor . — Romans xiii. 

Attitude of Jewish Priesthood and Rabbis Towards 
THE Lah'v. — It was a principle of Rabbinism that the ignorant 
cannot be pious. In fact, many regarded it as wrong to eat with 
the unlearned. The Pharasaic contempt of the unlettered (‘‘in 
cabablistic lore,”) so far did it go, that it would refuse, not only 
all family connection and friendly intercourse, but even the bread 
of charity: nay it would have regarded their murder as no sin, 
and even cut them off from the hope of the Resurrection. When 
we read of sinners in company with the publicans, it is not neces- 
sary to think of gross or open offenders . — EdersheM s Life of 
Jesus, 

The Pharisees said unto the disciples of Jesus: Why eateth 
your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard 
of it, he said: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners — 
Matt ix . — Then answered the Pharisees : But this people, who 
knoweth not the Law, “ (its rabbinical interpretation ”) are ac- 
cursed . — John vii. 

The oral, not the written, law the foundation of 
Judaism- — Blockheads study the Scriptures only. — If the 
Oral Law had not been added to the written Law, the whole 
Law would have been obscure and unintelligible. For, in the 
first place, there are Scriptures repugnant and contrary to each 
other: and in the next place, the Written Law is imperfect, and 
comprehends not all that is necessary to be known. Do not 
imagine that the Written Law is the foundation of our religion, 
which is really founded on the Oral Law ; for it was upon the 
Oral Law that the covenant of God with Israel was made. Those 
who apply themselves to any other science or study than the 
study of the Talmud, which is the true wisdom and the founda- 
tion of the Law, all ‘- labor in vain and bring forth trouble as 
Isaiah says: they consume their days in frivolous and useless 
pursuits,’ they ‘ walk after vanity and become vain.’ ” But my 
Son, attend thou to the words of the Scribes more than to the 
words of the Law; for he that has learned the Scrip- 
tures, AND not the MiSHNA. IS A BLOCKHEAD, AND EVEN TO 


670 


lESAT NASSAR. 


STUDY THE Bible IS A WASTE OF TIME. — Talmud Buxtorf Sy nag. 
Jud. c., /V/.,/. 49-72, Gamara IVagens, Sota.,J>- 516. Mad, Jud..^ 
by John Allen. 

Country folks cannot be saints. — Rabbi Gamaliel said: 
A boor cannot be fearful of sin, nor can one of the country folk 
be a saint. — Mishna Pirke Aboth.^ II. 5. Conder in Palestine 
Exploration. 

The Pharisees and Scribes ask Jesus: Why walk not thy dis- 
ciples according to the tradition of the elders ? — Alark vii. 

Attitude of Essenes toward the Brotherhood of 
Lower Degree. — If an Essene of a higher grade came in con- 
tact with one of lower grade, it necessitated the lustrations of a 
bath, as much as the touch of those who were not of their sect. 
— Josephus Ant. 

Attitude of Jesus towards the Uninitiated and the 
Common People. — And Jesus when he came out, saw much 
people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because 
they were as sheep not having a shepherd; and he began to 
teach them many things. And the multitudes were astonished 
at his teachings; for he taught them as having authority, and not 
as their Scribes. And the common people heard him gladly. — 
Matt. vii. Mark vi.^ xii. 

The Pharisees heard all these things and they scoffed at him. 
And Jesus said unto them : I came not to call the righteous, but 
sinners. Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men, 
but God knoweth your hearts. Full well do ye reject the com- 
mandment of God that ye may keep your tradition ; making void 
the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered; and 
many such like things ye do. Ye are of your father the devil, 
and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a mur- 
derer from the beginning, and stood not in the truth, because 
there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh 
of his own; for he is a liar and the father thereof. But because 
I say the truth, ye believe me not. — Luke xvi. Mark vii. John viii. 

Commune of the Essenes — 'Fhe Essenes have no certain 
city, but many of them dwell in every city ; and if any of their 
sect come from other places, what they have lies open for them. 


APPENDIX. 


67 I 

just as if it were their own ; and they go into such as they never 
knew before, as if they had been ever so long acquainted with 
them. For there is no one among the Essenes who has a house 
so absolutely his own private property, that it does not, in some 
sense also belong to every one. Besides that they all dwell 
together in companies, the house is open to all those, of the same 
nations, who come to them from other quarters. Then there is 
one magazine (store house) among them all ; their expenses are 
all in common, their food is in common. Nor do they either buy 
or sell any thing to one another; but every one of them gives 
what he hath to him that wanteth it, and receives from him again 
in lieu of it, what may be convenient for himself: and although 
there be no requital made, they are fully allowed to take what 
they want of whomsoever they please. For which reasons, they 
carry nothing with them w^hen they travel into remote parts; 
though still they take their weapons with them, for fear of thieves. 

There are some of them who are devoted to the practice of 
agriculture, being skilled in such things as pertain to the sowing 
an <i cultivation of lands ; others again are shepherds or cowherds, 
and experienced in the management of every kind of animals; 
some are cunning in what relates to swarms of bees; others again 
are artisans and handicraftsmen, in order to guard against suffer- 
ing from want of anything of which there is at times an actual 
need. So these Essenes omit and delay nothing which is requisite 
for the innocent supply of the necessaries of life. But among them 
you will find no makers of arrows, or javelins, or swords, or hel- 
mets, or breastplates, or shields ; no makers of arms or of military 
engines ; no one, in short, attending to any employment what- 
ever connected with war; or even to any of these occuptions, 
even in peace, which are easily perverted to wicked purposes ; 
for they are utterly ignorant of all traffic and all commercial deal- 
ings, and of all navigation. 

Each of these Essenes, when they have received their wages, 
give them up to one person who is appointed as the universal 
steward and general manager; since what belongs to one, belongs 
to all, and on the other hand, what belongs to the whole body, 
belongs to the individual. But for those who are caught in any 
heinous sins, they cast them out of their society (excommunicate) 
and he that is thus separated from them, does often die after a 
miserable manner. The habit and management of their bodies is 
such as children use who are in fear of their Masters.— /%//<? 
Judaeu$ and Josephus Ant, and Wa^s. 


672 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Jesus Disrupts the Commune for his Disciples. — Jesus 
said unto his discipies : When I sent you forth without purse and 
wallet and shoes ; lacked ye anything ? And they said ; Nothing, 
Lord. — Then said he unto them : But now he that hath a purse, 
let him take it ; and likewise his wallet. And he that hath no 
sword, let him sell his cloak and buy one. And they said : Lord, 
behold here are two swords. — Luke xxii, § 

Jesus forbids Jewish Hifrocracy among his Followers. 
— Jesus said unto his disciples ; The Scribes and Pharisees bind 
heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men^s 
shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their 
fingers. They love the chief places at feasts and chief seats in the 
synagogues, and the salutations in the market places, and to be 
called of men : “ Rabbi,” “ Rabbi.” (My lord, my lord). But 
be ye not called Rabbi,” for one is your Teacher, and all ye are 
brethren. And call no man your father on the earth; for one is 
your Father, which is m heaven. Neither be ye called masters; 
for one is your Master, even the Christ. But he that is greater 
among you, shall be your minister, even as the Son of Man came 
not to be ministered unto, but to minister. — Maf^, xxii., xxiii. 

Tend ye the flock of God which is among you, exercising the 
oversight, not of constraint, but willingly according unto God ; 
nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. Neither as lording 
it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves en- 
samples to the flock. — I. Peter v. Not that we have lordship 
over your faith, but are helpers of your joy ; for by your faith ye 
stand. — II.. Corinth, i. 

Jesus foretells the Political and Ecclesiastical 
Future. — Jesus said unto them : Because I have spoken these 
things unto you, sorrow hath filled your hearts. But these things 
have I spoken unto you that when their hour is come, ye may 
remember how that I told you. — It is expedient for you that I 
go away ; for if I go not away, the Comforter (Helper) will not 
come unto you. But the Helper, even the Holy Spirit whom the 
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and 
bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. 

The Disciples asked him saying : Master, tell us when shall 
these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of 
the end of the world? (or consummation of the age or this 


APPENDIX. 


673 

people.) — Jesus answered them : Take heed that no man lead 
you astray : for many shall come in my name, saying : I am 

he, and the time is at hand.” — Go ye not after them; for there 
shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great 
signs and wonders, so as to lead astray. But take ye heed ; be- 
hold I have told you before hand. — Nation shall rise against 
nation and kingdom against kingdom : and there shall be great 
earthquakes and famines and pestilences in divers places; and 
there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven. Ye shall hear 
of wars and tumults and rumors of wars; see that ye be not 
troubled ; for such things must needs come to pass, but the end 
shall not be yet. The Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon 
shall not give her light, and the stars shall be falling from heaven : 
upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity for the roaring of 
the sea and the billows : men’s hearts failing them for fear and for 
looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the 
powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall 
appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and he shall send 
forth his angels with a trumpet of great sound and they shall 
gather together his elect from one end of heaven to the other ; 
and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of 
heaven with power and great glory. Verily, I say unto you, this 
generation (race, people) shall not pass away, till all these things 
be accomplished. But of that day and hour knoweth no man ; 
not even the angels of heaven ; neither the Son ; but the Father 
only. But ye, when ye see these things coming to pass, look up, 
and lift up your head; for your redemption draweth nigh, and 
the Kingdom of God is at hand. But take ye heed to yourselves. 
Watch lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and 
drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come on you 
suddenly as a snare. I have yet many things to say unto you, 
but ye cannot hear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of 
Truth is come, he shall guide you into all truth. But what I say 
unto you, 1 say unto all : Watch! — Matt, xxiv. Mark xiii, Luke 
xxi. John xiv, xvi. — And go ye unto all the world and preach 
the gospel to the whole creation. — Mark xvi. 

Jesus Provides for the Care of His Flock. — Jesus saith 
to Pc*ter : Lovest thou me more than these ? He saith unto him : 
Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him : 
Feed my lambs. Jesus saith to him a second time : Lovest thou 

43 


674 


lESAT NASSAR. 


me ? Peter saith unto him : Yea, Lord: thou knowest that I love 
thee. He saith unto him : Tend my sheep. Jesus saith unto him 
the third time : Lovest thou me ? Peter was grieved and said : 
Lord, thou knowest all things ; thou perceivest that I love thee. 
Jesus said unto him : Feed my sheep . — Johii xxi. 

Jesus Provides for His Mother’s Protection. — When 
Jesus therefore saw his Mother, and the disciple standing by, 
whom he loved, he saith unto his Mother : Behold thy Son. 
rhen saith he to the disciple: Behold thy Mother. And from 
that hour the disciple took her unto his own home . — John xix. 


CHAPTER XXXVIII. 


THE SNARE. 

Judas Volunteers as a Spy. — Sanhedrists Plot to En- 
trap Jesus. — When the Jewish Sages heard of these things, they 
regretted that they had not executed the sentence of death upon 
Jesus on the same day that they had condemned him. Therefore 
they took counsel what they should now do unto him. 

Then Rabbi Yehuda Ish Bari Totha (Judas) said unto them : 
I still possess the power of God as formerly; I will therefore 
hunt Jesus, take him, and deliver him into your hands. They all 
answered: Go and prosper and work for God’s holy Name which 
is profaned by this Roshe (Jesus). So Rabbi Yehuda made for 
himself a robe like unto that which was worn by the people of 
Jesus, and went to them at night, and remained with them for 
three days until he had opportunity to put a mark on the robe of 
Jesus. Then he went to the Jewish Sages and said to them: 
I have already planned how you are to take him. 

But they answered : We will not enter into conflict with him, 
because his followers are numerous, and if one of us should 
die, we would bring sin upon ourselves. But we will rather 
write a friendly letter to Jesus, by which he will perchance be 
persuaded to come unto us. So they wrote a letter on this wise : 
‘‘ We are now convinced that we sinned against thee, neither once 
nor twice. Thou art verily the anointed of God ; for we have 
heard of the wonders which thou didst show upon the Water, 
such works as only a man who is possessed of the Spirit of God 


APPENDIX. 


675 


can do, and therefore from henceforth all our people will be 
obedient unto thee. Come hither thou Blessed of the Lord, that 
our eyes may also behold thy wonderful works ; our hearts will 
rejoice and we will accept thee as a Messiah with gladness/’ — 
When the letter was brought to Jesus, he received the messenger 
with honor and friendship ; but replied: It is not honor to the 
anointed of God that he should go unto you; if they truly desire 
to see my work, let them come unto me. The Jewish Sages then 
sent another letter which contained yet greater expressions of love 
and respect, and said also : You are right that we ought to go 
unto you, but it is difficult for all of us to make the journey ; there- 
fore will we meet you with all your followers, below the mountain 
which is opposite Jerusalem. 

Jesus read this second letter to all of his disciples, and then 
said to the messenger; Return and say unto them that sent thee 
that I will come with my whole company. 

When the Jewish Sages had heard the answer of Jesus, they 
appointed many hundreds of strong men to lie in ambush on each 
side of the brook which is opposite Jerusalem, and they sent 
Rabbi Yehuda out before them, and charged him, saying : “ Act 
according to your judgment and opportunity ; go to them secretly 
and talk with them till you come to the mountain, and then gi\e 
us a reliable sign as to which is Jesus. We will know what to do 
with him and God will be with us.” Rabbi Yehuda replied : I 
am ready to obey you my lords ; I will go whithersoever you send 
me, and you only pray to God that he prosper my way that I 
may succeed and carry out our desire . — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri, 

Servants and soldiers of the chief priests. — The Sicarii, 
who were robbers, made use of small swords, not much different 
in length from the Persian acinacae, but somewhat crooked like 
the Roman (sickles) and from these weapons these robbers got 
their denomination. The commander of these Sicarii was a de- 
scendant of that Judas, who had persuaded abundance of the 
Jews not to submit to the taxation when Cyrenins was sent to 
Judea to make one. For, there it was that the Sicarii got to- 
gether against those that were willing to submit to the Romans, and 
treated them all in like respects as if they had been their enemies, 
both by plundering them of what they had, by driving away their 
cattle and by setting fire to their houses. For, they said that they 


676 IESXt NASSAU. 

differed not at all from foreigners, by betraying, in so cowardly a 
manner, that freedom which Jews thought worthy to be contended 
for to the utmost, and by owning that they preferred slavery under 
the Romans, before such contention. Now this was in reality no 
better than a pretence and a cloak for the barbarity which was 
made use of by them and to color over their own avarice. Zealots 
was the name the robbers went by, as if they were zealous in good 
undertakings, and were not rather zealous in the worst actions, 
and extravagant in them beyond the example of others. But as 
for the high priest Ananias (Annas), he also had servants that 
were very wicked, who joined themselves to the boldest sort of 
the people. — Jos. Wars VI. III. and VII. VIII. 

Court of Judgment of the Essenes. — But in the judg- 
ments the Essenes exercise, they are most accurate and just; nor 
do they pass sentence by the votes of a court that is fewer than 
a hundred. And as to what is once determined by that number, 
it is unalterable, — Jos. Wars, II. VIII. 

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not 
walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the 
chief priests and Pharisees had given commandment that, if any 
man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might take 
him. Judas Iscariot went unto the chief priests that he might 
deliver him unto them. But they said : Not during the feast, 
lest there be a tumult of the people. The chief priests therefore, 
and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said : What do we ? 
If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him; and the 
Romans will come and will take away both our place and nation. 
And they sought how they might take Jesus with subtlety and 
kill him; and from that time Judas sought opportunity to deliver 
Jesus unto them in the absence of the multitude. And his bre- 
thren said unto Jesus : Depart hence and go into Judea, that thy 
disciples may behold thy works : if thoudoest these things, mani- 
fest thyself unto the world. Jesus therefore said unto them : I go 
not. And having said this, he abode in Galilee. — Matt, xvi., xxvi., 
Mark xvi., Luke xxii., John vii. xi. 

Council of Sanhedrim Consult How to Snare Jesus. — 
In that meeting in the palace of Caiaphas, besides these priestly 
chiefs, the leading Sanhedrists were also gathered. They were 
deliberating how Jesus might be taken and killed. Only at the 


APPENDIX. 


677 


conclusion had they arrived that nothing must be done during 
the Feast for fear of some popular tumult. They knew only too 
well the character of Pilate, and how, in any such tumult, all 
parties — the leaders as well as the led — might experience terrible 
vengeance. They had not the courage of, though the wish for, 
judicial murder, tdl he who was their High Priest, Caiaphas, re- 
minded them of the well-known Jewish adage, that : It is better 
one man should die, than the community perish.” It must have 
been intense relief when, in their perplexity, the traitor now pre- 
sented himself before them, with his proposals. Even as he 
promised to dog His (Jesus) steps, and watch for the opportunity 
they sought. In truth, the offer of the betrayer changed the whole 
aspect of matters. What formerly they dreaded to attempt seemed 
now both safe and easy : they could not allow such an oppor- 
tunity to slip; it was one that might never occur again. Nay, 
might it not even seem as if dissatisfaction and disbelief had 
begun to spread in the innermost circle of Christ’s disciples. — 
Edersheim. Vol. II. 

But when his brethren were gone up unto the feast, then went 
Jesus also up, not publicly, but as it were in secret. And he 
charged his disciples that they should tell no man, that he was 
Jesus the Christ. — John vii. Matt, xvi. 


CHAPTER XXXIX. 


THE LAST MEETING. 

According to tradition, the Coenaculum, or Chamber of the 
Last Supper (on Mount Zion, outside the city walls) was the 
property of Joseph of Arimathea, the same one who had the honor 
of burying the sacred body of Jesus. Adjoining this, towards the 
south, is a small piece of land which is the site of a house in which 
the saintly and immaculate Virgin Mary resided with the apostle 
Saint John after the death of Jesus. Here also she died. — Guide 
Indicateur des Sanctuaires et Lienx Historiques de la Terre Sainte, 
par le Frere Lievin de la Hamme. 

The so-called tomb of Dayid was originally a convent of 
Franciscan monks, who believed it to be the Coenaculum, and 


678 


lESAT NASSAR. 


their tradition mentions nothing of an underground cavern, such 
as is now said by Mohamedans to exist. The tradition which 
makes it the tomb of David is purely Muslim in its origin, and 
does not date back earlier than the time of El Melik ed Dha’her 
Chakmak, A. D. 1448. Oral tradition in Jerusalem says that a 
beggar came one day to the monastary asking for relief, and in 
revenge for being refused went about declaring that it was the 
tomb of David, in order to incite the Muslim fanatics to seize 
and confiscate the spot. His plan succeeded, for the monastary 
was cleared of its monkish occupants and appropriated by the 
Mohamedans. — History of Jerusalem^ by Walter Besatit and E, 
H, Pabner. 

The so-called tomb of David is apparently an immense sar- 
cophagus of rough stone ; a door at one end of the room they 
(Muslins) said, leads to a cave beneath. Adjoining the tomb is the 
Coenaculum or Chamber of the Last Supper. It is stated that 
when Titus destroyed Jerusalem, this building, with a few others 
near it, escaped, and that the earliest travellers to the land found 
it identified as the scene of the Last Supper. 

In the fifteenth century Benjamin of Tudela gives this legend: 
Fifteen years ago, one of the walls, of the place of worship on 
Mount Zion fell down, which the Patriarch ordered the priest to 
repair. He commanded to take stones from the original wall of 
Zion, and to employ them for that purpose ; which command was 
obeyed. Two laborers who were engaged in digging stones hap- 
pened to meet with one which formed the mouth of a cavern. 
They agreed to enter the cave to search for treasure, but a blast 
of wind, like a storm, issued from the mouth of the cavern and 
prostrated them almost lifeless on the ground. They lay in this 
state until evening, when they heard a voice commanaing them 
to rise and go forth from the place. They proceeded, terror 
stricken, to the Patriarch, and informed him of what had oc- 
curred. He summoned Rabbi Abraham el Constantine, a pious 
ascetic, one of the mourners of the downfall of Jerusalem, and 
caused the two laborers to repeat the occurrence in his presence. 
Rabbi Abraham hereupon informed the Patriarch that they had 
discovered the sepulchres of the house of David and of the Kings 
of Judah. The Patriarch ordered the cave to be walled up so as 
to hide it effectually from every one to the present day. — See 
Cook's Palestine a 7 id Syria, 


APPENDIX, 


679 


The Lord now sent Peter and John. Evidently neither the 
house nor its owner were to be named beforehand within hearing 
of Judas. That last Meal was not to be interrupted, nor their 
last retreat betrayed till all had been said and done. When they 
reached the house, the two Apostles were to deliver to its owner 
this message : The Master saith : With thee I hold the pascha 
with my disciples: where is my Katalyma? i. e., hall or hostlery. 

There can be no doubt that the owner of the house was a 

disciple. No mere stranger would, in answer to so mysterious a 
message, have given up, without further questioning, his best room. 
— Eder. Life of Jesus ^ II. 

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that 
his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto 
the Father, having loved his own which were in the world he loved 
them to the uttermost. Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, 
and said : Verily, verily I say unto you, that one of you shall 
betray me. And truly the Son of Man goeth, as it was determ- 
ined, but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed. And sup- 
per being ended, the devil having already put into the heart of 
Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus, he went out straightway audit was 
night. — John^ xiii. 

Judas in Disguise as an Essene. — Then Rabbi Yehuda 
went and joined Jesus and his people at night, and because he 
came to them in a robe like their own, they all thought that he 
was one of their own company. — Toledoth Yeshu. 

Sadly humilitating as it reads, and almost incredible as it 
seems, the Supper began with a contention among them which 
of them should be accounted the greatest. We are not left to 
general conjecture in regard to the influence of Judas in the 
strife. There is, we believe, ample evidence that he not only 
claimed, but actually obtained the chief seat at the table next to 
the Lord. 

As we believe, their first move was to the house where the 
Supper had been celebrated. Learning that Jesus had left it with 
his disciples two or three hours before, Judas next directed the 
band to the spot he knew so well. — EdersheinCs Life of Jesus. 
VoL IL 


68o 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XL. 


BETRAYAL AND ARREST. 

And Jesus eame out and went, as he was wont, unto the 
Mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when 
he was at the place, he said unto them : Pray that ye enter not 
into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a 
stone’s cast and kneeling down, he prayed saying: Father, if 
thou be willing, remove this cup from me ; — nevertheless, not my 
will but thine be done. And being in an agony he prayed more 
earnestly, and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood fall- 
ing down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer and 
was come unto his disciples', he said unto them : Rise up, let us 
go, behold he that betrayeth me is at hand. And immediately 
while he yet spake, cometh Judas, and with him a great multi- 
tude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes 
and the elders. And he that betrayed him had given them a 
token saying : Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he ; take 
him and lead him away safely. And they laid their hands on 
Jesus and took him. 

And Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the 
temple, and elders which were come against him : Are ye come 
out as against a robber, with swords and staves . — Gospels of Matt. ^ 
Mark.^ Luke., JoJm, 

Talmud Account of the Betrayal. — When they arrived 
at the hill. Rabbi Yehuda was among them, and the Jewish 
Sages recognized him because he had agreed with them about a 
certain mark on himself. The Jewish Sages waited on the slope 
of the mountain for the coming of Jesus with his compauy. When 
these arrived at that place. Rabbi Yehuda fell on Jesus’ neck and 
with a loud voice exclaimed : This is Messiah ! we must serve 
and fear him as our Father and our King. Then he embraced 
Jesus arid kissed him. 

As soon as the Jewish Sages ascertained, by means of this 
sign given them by Rabbi Yehuda, which was Jesus, the men 
whom they had ready in ambush sprang out and seized Jesus, 
and struck him hard blows, and bound him hand and foot. Then 
they brought him into the city of Jerusalem with all his fol- 


APPENDIX. 


68i 


lowers, except some who had been slain fighting for him and 
others who escaped . — Toledoth Yeshu Ha JVossri, 

The Sicarii. — The Nationalist party or zealots, first ap- 
peared in those guerilla bands under the leadership of Ezkias, 
whom Herod the Great, executed. His son, Judas, raised the 
standard of revolt against the taxing of Quirinius. A son of 
Judas, Man ahem, was one of the leaders of the most fanatical 
Nationalists, the Sicarii . — EdersheM s Life of Jesus. 

The Sicarii, who were robbers, made use of small swords, not 
much different in length from the Persian acinacae, but somewhat 
crooked, and like the Roman sicae (or sickles) and from those 
weapons, these robbers got their denomination, and with these 
weapons they slew a great many ; for they mingled themselves 
among the multitude at their festivals, when they were come up 
in crowds from all parts of the city to worship God, and easily 
slew those they had a mind to slay. The Sicarii went up with 
the greatest security at the festivals, as if they were going to wor- 
ship God, while they had daggers under their garments : and hav- 
ing weapons concealed and mingling themselves among the mul- 
titude, they slew certain of their own enemies; and being 
subservient to other men for money they slew others also. They 
stabbed men in the day time, and in the midst of the city ; this 
they did chiefly at the festivals ; and when any fell down dead, 
the murderers became a part of those that had an indignation 
against them ; by which means they appeared persons of such 
reputation, that they could by no means be discovered. — Jos. Ant, 
XX., VI/I Wars, II, XIIL 


CHAPTER XLI. 


FORSAKEN. 

So the band and the chief captain and the officers of the Jews 
seized Jesus and bound him, and led him to Annas first; for he 
was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was High Priest that year. 
— The high priest therefore asked Jesus of his disciples and of 
his teaching. — Jesus answered him: I have spoken openly to the 
world ; 1 ever taught in Synagogue and in the temple where all 


682 


lESAT NASSAR. 


Jews came together, and in secret I spake nothing. Why askest 
thou me ? Ask them that heard what I spake unto them. — And 
when he had said this, one of the officers that stood by, struck 
Jesus with his hand, saying: Answerest thou the high priest so? 
Annas therefore sent Jesus bound unto Caiaphas, the high priest, 
where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 

And the rulers scoffed at Jesus, saying: He saved others, let 
him save himself if this is Christ of God, His chosen one. In 
like manner, the chief priests mocking him with the scribes and 
elders, said : He trusted on God ; let Him deliver him now if he 
desireth him. — John xviii. Luke xxiii. Alatt. xxvii. 

What is said in the gospel of St. Peter. — “ And the 
Lord cried out, saying : My Power, My Power,” (Suzerain ?) “ hast 
thou forsaken me ? ” — Gospel of St. Peter (See Church Standard^ 
Jan. 28, 1893.) 

Sultan — monarch — in Arabic and probably in Aramaic, means 
the one in power. As the Aramaic is said to have been the 
spoken language at that time, is it not possible that Jesus uttered 
those words in reproach to his suzerain ? — The authors. 

And they all forsook him. — Mark xiv. 

Annas President of the Sanhedrim. — The conjunction 
of the two names of Annas and Caiaphas, probably indicates 
that although Annas was deprived of the pontificate he still con- 
tinued to preside over the Sanhedrim — a conclusion, not only 
borne out by Acts iv., 6, where Annas appears as the actual 
President, and by the terms in which Caiaphas is spoken of, as 
merely ‘‘ one of them,” but by the part which Annas took in 
the final condemnation of Jesus. — Edersheim's Life of Jesus. 
Vol. L 

Trial of Jesus conformable to Jewish law. — The course 
which the priests had resolved to follow against Jesus, was strictly 
conformable to Jewish law. The procedure against the seducer ” 
(masith) who seeks to sully the purity of the faith, is laid down 
in the Talmud. In it, judicial ambuscade is constituted an essen- 
tial portion of the criminal process. When a man is accused of 
‘‘ seduction,” two witnesses are concealed behind a partition; and 
it is arranged to bring the accused into an adjoining room in 
which he can be heard by the two witnesses, without himself per- 


APPENDIX. 


683 


ceiving them. Two candles are lighted near him, that it may be 
fully established that the witnesses “ see him.” Then he is made 
to repeat his blasphemy. He is urged to retract. If he persists, 
the witnesses who have heard him, bring him to the tribunal, and 
he is stoned. The Talmud adds, that this course was adopted in 
the proceeding against Jesus; that he was condemned upon the 
testimony of two witnesses who had been concealed, and that 
^‘seduction ” is moreover the only crime for which witnesses are 
thus prepared. — Talni. of Jerus, Sanhedrim xiv., 16. Talm. of 
Bab,^ same treatise^ 43. a. 6^, a. Cf, Schabbat^ 104, 6. See Renan's 
Life of Jesus. 

Rabbinical definition of religious seducers. — A Mas- 
sith is an individual who, privately seduces private individuals 
into idolatry (Sanh., vii. 10, Jer. Yeb., 15, d.), it being added that 
he speaks with a loud voice, in praise of some false God, and 
uses the holy Hebrew language (Jer. Sanh., 25. d.). On the other 
hand, the Maddiach is one who publicly seduces the people 
to idolatry; using, as it is added, the language spoken by the 
people. 

To the Sanhedrim was left the administration of justice in all 
that was connected with purely religious questions. In great 
criminal causes or in important investigations, the High Priest 
would always preside. — Such causes could only be tried and capi- 
tal sentence pronounced, in the regular meeting place of the San- 
hedrim, not in the High Priest’s palace. No process might begin 
in the night, not even in the afternoon ; although, if the discus- 
sion had gone on all day, sentence might be pronounced at night. 
— Edersheim's Life of Jesus. Vol. //. 

Jesus asks his suzerain’s protection, but she obeys the 
CHIEF priests WHO MOCK HIM. — When Queen Helena heard the 
tumult, she asked : What is this disturbance ? They answered : 
The Sages of the Jews have again laid hold of Jesus. Then the 
Queen sent for the chief priests and elders to appear before her 
and to bring Jesus. And straightway they all came and brought 
Jesus to her. And the Queen said to him : Manifest thy won- 
derful deeds also now. 

Jesus answered : They strive against me without cause, and 
you can deliver me ; therefore save me from the evil doers, that 
I perish not without law. I have no protector save thee, oh 
Queen, for I am the son of thy kinswoman Maryam. 


684 


lESAT NASSAR. 


The Queen was frightened, and said to the Jewish Sages : Do 
not be hasty, for you might shed innocent blood. 

But they answered her, and said : Precious Queen, if he is a 
God, let him save himself out of our hands. And it is time for 
you oh Queen, to keep silence that you may not be suspected. 
It will be said of you : “ She hath protected her kinsman who is 
a magician and an imposter:” Therefore it is more prudent for 
you to keep silence than to talk ; for he must be slain, and we 
will spend our whole lives to fulfil the words of our holy Law. 

With these words, the valiant men, who stood behind the chief 
priests and elders, took Jesus and bound him with chains in the 
Queen’s presence and dragged him with force unto prison. Then 
Jesus again said : Oh Queen, it is thy duty to protect and save 
me, for I am a kinsman unto thee. But no one helped Jesus; 
for the Queen became angry and turned away, neither did she 
answer him. So they led Jesus away into the prison where such 
as were condemned to death were confined. — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri, 

He was taken from prison and from judgment; and his life, 
who shall recount ? for he was cut off out of the land of the 
living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke 
was due. — His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains 
of irons. — Ps, cv, Isa, liii., new ver. 


CHAPTER XLII. 


THE FORTY DAYS. 

Our Law had forbidden to slay any man, even though he 
were a wicked man, unless he had been first condemned to suffer 
death by the Sanhedrim. The High Priests were the political 
Governors of the Jews under the reign of Herod and under the 
reign of Archelaus his son ; although after their death the gov- 
ernment became an aristocracy, and the High Priests were in- 
trusted with a dominion over the nation. — Jos. Ant xiv,, ix, and 

XX.^ X. 

Rabbinical mode of criminal procedure. — And procla- 
mation was made every day for forty days, that whoever knew 


APPENDIX. 


6^5 

aught wherewith to defend Jesus and prove him not guilty, they 
should come forward and make it known: for Jesus had been 
sentenced to be stoned because he had bewitched and led astray 
the people of the Jews. — But no one was found to speak in de- 
fense of Jesus, except five persons, whose names were: Mattee, 
Nakee, Nossree, Banee and Tadee, These were bold and said : 
Why should we search for his good work ; the wonderful things 
that he hath done are good evidences that he hath in him a most 
godlike spirit. 

The Sanhedrim perceived by the boldness of these men that 
they were disciples of Jesus, and gave orders that the matter be 
investigated. And when they discovered that it was indeed so, 
and that these men had been among the first to lead their fellow 
citizens astray after Jesus, the Sanhedrim said unto them: You 
will likewise be slain like your Master the sorcerer. And they 
stoned all the five men to death on the same day . — Toledoth 
Yeshu. 

Put to death brother, son, wife, daughter or friend 
WHO ASKS YOU TO CHANGE YOUR RELIGION. — And Moses Called 
unto all Israel and said: If thy brother,, or thy son, or thy 
daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend which is as 
thine own soul, entice thee, saying : Let us go and serve other 
Gods; thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon 
him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the 
people. Thou shalt stone him with stones that he die, because 
he hath sought to draw thee away from Jehovah thy God which 
brought thee out of the land of Egypt. — Deut, xiii. 

The Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying: A man or a woman 
that hath a familiar spirit shall surely be put to death ; they shall 
stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them. — And 
the soul that turneth unto them that have familiar spirits, to go 
after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut 
him off from among his people . — Liviticus xx. 

Violation of the Sabbath a capital crime. — And the 
Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying : Speak thou also unto the 
children of Israel, saying: Verily ye shall keep my Sabbath; 
every one that profaneth it, shall surely be put to death; for 
whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut olf 
from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but on the 


686 


iesXt nassar. 


seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Jehovah : 
whosoever doeth any work on the Sabbath day, lie shall surely 
be put to death. — And Moses assembled the congregation of the 
children of Israel, and said unto them: These are the words 
which the Jehovah hath commanded that ye should do them. 
Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall 
be to you an holy day, a Sabbath of solemn rest to the Jehovah; 
whosoever doeth any work therein, shall be put to death. — 
Exodus xxxii.^ XXXV, And while the children of Israel were in 
the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the Sab- 
bath day. And they brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and 
they put him in ward, because it had not been declared what 
should be done to him. — And the Jehovah said unto Moses: 
The man shall surely be put to death : all the congregation shall 
stone him with stones without the camp. — And all the congrega- 
tion brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, 
and he died; as the Jehovah had commanded Moses. — Num- 
bers XV, 

Pharisaic Law on Contradictory Witnesses. — The Phar- 
isaic Law of witnesses was very peculiar. Witnesses who con- 
tradicted each other were not considered, in rabbinic law, as false 
witnesses, in the sense of being punishable. Nor would they be 
so, even if an alibi of the accused were proved. Talmud stories, 
that witnesses had lain in wait to hear and report the utterances 
of Christ (Sanh. 67, a,) and that forty days before his execution 
heralds had summoned any exculpatory evidence in his favor, 
(Sanh. 43, a) may be passed without comment. — EdersheM s 
Life of Jesus, Vol, II. 

And there was much murmuring among the people concern- 
ing Jesus; for some said: He is a good man ; others said: Nay 
but he deceiveth the people. Howbeit no man spake openly of 
him, for fear of the Jews. 

Annas and Caiaphas and other Jews went to Pilate about 
Jesus, accusing him of many crimes. And they said: Jesus at- 
tempts the dissolution of the Sabbath and the Laws of our 
fathers. We have a law which forbids doing cures on the Sabbath 
day; but he cures the lame and the deaf, the palsy, the blind, the 
lepers and the demoniacs on that day by wicked methods. — Pilate 
replied : How can he do this by wicked methods ? — They answerd : 
He is a conjurer, and casts out devils by the prince of the devils, 


APPENDIX. 


687 


and so all things become subject to him. — Then said Pilate : Cast- 
ing out devils seems not to be the work of an unclean spirit, but 
to proceed from the power of God ; and why are not the devils 
subject to your doctors ? — Gospels of John and Nicodemus., 

Human Sacrifice. Observance of this Rite by the 
Jews, and the Passover Season the Most Propitious and 
Acceptable Time for These Practices. — In the latter ages of 
antiquity there was a very general belief that, in strictness, the 
oldest rituals demanded a human victim, and that animal sacri- 
fices were the substitutes for the life of a man. — The human 
victim was burned after his blood had been poured out as a liba- 
tion. — The notion that animal sacrifice is accepted in lieu of an 
older sacrifice of the life of man, appears among the Hebrews in 
the story of Isaac’s sacrifice, Gen. xxii. — Wherever we find the 
doctrine of substitution of animal life for that of man, we find also 
examples of actual human sacrifice; sometimes confined to seasons 
of extreme peril, and sometimes practiced periodically at solemn 
annual rites. — Most commonly, however, human sacrifices, and in 
general all such sacrifices as were not eaten, were burned; and 
this usage is found not only among the Hebrews and Phoenicians, 
with whom fire sacrifices were common, but among the Arabs, 
who seem to have admitted the fire-oifering in no other case. 

Among the Hebrews and their neighbors, it would seem that 
human sacrifices were not ordinarily burned at the altar or even 
within the precincts of the sanctuary, but rather ouside the city. 
It is plain, from various passages of the prophets, that the sacri- 
fices of children among the Jews before the captivity, which are 
commonly known as sacrifices to Moloch, were regarded by the 
worshippers as oblations to Jehovah, under the title of King; 
yet they were not presented at the temple, but consumed outside 
the town at the Tophet in the ravine below the Temple. — Jer.vii., 
31. xix,, xxxii,,^^. £zek. xxxiii., Micah.vi,^^. The form 
Moloch (Ixx.), (Septuagint) or rather Molech (Hebrew) is nothing 
but Melech, ‘‘ King.” — In the more ancient Hebrew rite, the 
children offered to Moloch were slaughtered before they were 
burned. Gen. xxii., to. Ezek. xvi., 20. xxiii., 39. At Hieropolis, 
the victims are cast down from the temple, but we do not read 
that they are burned. 

The consecration of the first-born male children (Ex. xxii., 28. 
xxxiv., 20) has always created a difficulty. The legal usage was 


6S8 


lESAT NASSAR. 


to redeem the human firstlings, and in Numbers iii. this redemp- 
tion is further connected in a very complicated way with the con- 
secration of the tribe of Levi. It appears, however, that in the 
period immediately before the exile, when sacrihces of first-born 
children became common, these grisly offerings were supposed to 
fall under the law of firstlings. — Jer. vii., 31. xix., 5. Ezek. xx., 
25.) — There must have been some point of attachment in ancient 
custom for the belief that the deity asked for such a sacrifice. — 
In point of fact, even in old times, when exceptional circum- 
stances called for a human victim, it was a child, and by preference 
a first-born or only child, that was selected by the peoples in and 
around Palestine, — (2 Kings, iii., 27.) This is commonly explained 
as the most costly offering a man can make; but it is rather to be 
regarded as the choice, for a special purpose, of the most sacred 
kind of victim. All the prerogatives of the first-born, among 
Semetic peoples, are originally prerogatives of sanctity ; the sacred 
blood of the kin flows purest and strongest in him. — In the Passover 
we find the sacrifice of firstlings assuming the form of an annual 
feast. — Then if firstlings are animals of special intrinsic holiness, 
the sacrifices to which they are appropriated, will be special acts 
of communion, peculiar holocausts or the like, and not mere 
common sacrificial meals. — And this is actually the case in the 
oldest Hebrew times; for the Passover, which is the sacrifice of 
firstlings par excellence^ is an atoning rite of a quite exceptional 
kind. 

Among the annual piacula of the more advanced Semites, 
which yet bear on their face the mark af extreme antiquity, the 
first place belongs to the Hebrew Passover, held in the Spring 
month Nisan, where the primitive character appears, not only 
from the details of the ritual, but from the coincidences of its 
season with that of the Arabian sacrifices in the month of Rajab. 
Similarly, in Cyprus, on the first of April, a sheep was offered to 
Astarte (Aphrodite) with ritual of a character evidently piacular. 
At Hieropolis, in like manner, the chief feast of the year was 
the vernal ceremony of the Pyre, in which animals were burned 
alive. And again among the Harranians, the first half of Nisan 
was marked by a series of exceptional sacrifices of piacular color. 
— Certain holocausts, like those of the Pyre Festival at Hiero- 
polis, were burned alive, and other piacula were simply pushed 
over a height, so that they might seem to kill themselves by the 
fall. This was done at Hieropolis both with animals and with 


APPENDIX. 


689 


human victims ; and according to the Mishna, the Hebrew 
scapegoat was not allowed to go free in the wilderness, but was 
killed by being pushed over a precipice . — Dea Syria Iviii,, Yoma 
vi., 6 , The same kind of sacrifice occurs in Egypt in a rite 
which possibly is of Semitic origin, and in Greece in more than 
one case where the victims were human. 

All such forms of sacrifice are precisely parallel to those 
which were employed in sacred executions, i. e,, in the judicial 
slaying of members of the community. The criminal, in ancient 
times, was either slain by the whole congregation, as was the 
usual form of execution among the Hebrews ; or strangled, as 
was commonly done among the later Jews. — These coincidences 
between the ritual of sacrifice and of execution, are not acci- 
dental ; — they helped to establish the view that the victim was 
a sacrifice to justice, accepted in atonement for the guilt of the 
worshippers. 

The parallelism between piacular sacrifices and execution, 
came out with particular clearness when the victim was burnt, 
or where it was cast down a precipice ; for burning was the pun- 
ishment appointed among the Hebrews and other ancient nations 
for impious offences. — Gen. xxxviii., 24, Lev. xx., 14, xxi., 9, 
Josh, vii., 15, and casting from a cliff is one of the commonest 
forms of execution. Among the Hebrews we find captives so 
killed, II. Chron. xxv., 12. — II. Kings viii., 12, Hosea x., 14, 
from which it would seem that this was the usual way of killing 
non-combatants. (Luke iv., 29.) I apprehend that the obscure 
form of execution ‘‘before the Lord" mentioned in II. Sam. xxi., 
9, and also Numb, xxv., 4, is of the same sort, for the victims 
fall and are killed. — Note that this religious execution takes 
place at the Season of the Pascal piaculum. 

It is true that the victims are aliens and not tribesmen, as in 
strictness the sense of the ritual requires ; but the older Semites 
when they had recourse to human sacrifice were more strictly 
logical, and held with rigor to the fundamental principle that the 
life of the victim must be a kindred life. See for the Hebrews, 
Gen. xxii., II. Kings xxi., 6, Micah vi., 7. — An old form of 
sacrifice applied to captive chiefs (c. f. the case of Agag, I. Sam. 
XV.). Saul undoubtedly spares Agag in order that he may b^ 
sacrificed, and Samuel actually accomplishes this offering by 
slaying him “ before the Lord " in Gilgal. And in this, as in 
Other cases of human sacrifice, the choice of an alien instead of 

44 


lESAT NASSAR. 


690 

a tribesman is not of the essence of the rite; for Jepthah loses 
his vow, on his return from smiting the Amorites, by the sacrifice 
of his own daughter. 

In all discussions of the doctrine of substitution, as applied to 
sacrifice, it must be remembered that private sacrifice is a 
younger thing than clan sacrifice, and that private piacula offered 
by an individual for his own sins are of comparatively modern in- 
stitutions. Jewish theology has a great deal to say about the 
acceptance of the merits of the righteous on behalf of the wicked, 
but very little about atonement through sacrifice. Even in the 
theology of the Rabbis, penitence atones only for light offences, 
all grave offences demanding also a material prestation. — The 
mortal sin of an individual was a thing that affected the whole 
community, or the whole kin of the offender. Thus the sin of the 
sons of Eli is visited on his whole clan from generation to gen- 
eration, I. Sam. ii., 27, the sin of Achan is the sin of Israel, Josh, 
vii., and the sin of Saul leads to a three year’s famine. The Gib- 
eonites asked of David that in lieu of Saul himself, certain members 
of his household shall be given up to them. And in this way, 
the idea of substitution is brought in even in a case which is, strictly 
speaking, one of murder. II. Sam. xxi., 9. 

Accordingly it is the businesss of the community to narrow 
the responsibility of the crime, and to free itself of the contagious 
taint by fixing the guilt either on a single individual, or at least 
on his immediate kin, as in the case of Achan who was stoned 
and then burned with his whole family. — Josh. vii. Hence, when 
a tribesman is executed for an impious offence, he dies on behalf 
of the community, to restore normal relations between them and 
their God; so that the analogy with sacrifice is very close in 
purpose as well as in form. — The sin of the community was con- 
centrated on the victim, and its death was accepted as a sacrifice 
to divine justice. 

The Passover is a rite of the most primeval antiquity. Annual 
atonements appear, if we may judge from the case of the Passover, 
to have been regarded as a means of placing the worshippers in a 
special way under the divine protection, without any express ref- 
erence to the taking away of guilt . — Religion of the Semites, by 
W, Robertson Smith, 

Josephus said to John the Zealot : Vile wretch that thou art! 
If any one should deprive thee of thy daily food, thou wouldst 


APPENDIX. 


691 

esteem him an enemy to thee ; but thou hopest to have that God 
for thy support, wliom thou hast deprived of his everlasting wor- 
ship (daily sacrifice) ! and thou imputest those sins to the Romans, 
who, to this very lime take care to have our laws observed, and 
almost compel these sacrifices to be still offered to God, which 
have, by thy means, been intermitted. — Jos. Wars V/., ii. 

Talmud Invocation for first night of Passover. — God 
WAS Vanquished, and the Heads of Egyptian firstborn 
Children were Crushed on Passover Night. — Opponents 
OF Isreal were Destroyed on Passover Night. — It was at 
midnight ! What astonishment, and exciting wonders didst Thou, 
Oh Jehovah, perform of old on that night. 

In the beginning of the midnight watch of this commemorative 
Night, Thou didst bestow victory upon the righteous immigrant 
Abraham when he pursued Amraphel at the dividing of the night ; 
it was at midnight. 

Thou didst reprove King Abimalek of Gerar in a dream on 
that Night. 

Thou didst terrorize Laban, the Aramaen, in the gloomy 
Night. — Israel wrestled with an angel and conquered him in that 
Night; it was at midnight. 

The firstborn of Egy[)t didst Thou slay in the middle of that 
Night. Their strength was gone when they arose at night. 

Sisera, the lord of Harosheth, didst Thou tread down by the 
Stars of that Night. 

Sennacherib, the blasphemer, desired to destroy Jerusalem, 
but Thou didst reduce and shame his host that Night. 

The Deity Bel and his upholders were violently broken down 
in the darkness of this Night. 

To the beloved Daniel the dream of Nebuchadnezzar was le- 
vealed in that Night; it was at midnight. 

Belshazzer, who drank out of the sacred vessels, was slain on 
that Night ; it was at midnight. 

Daniel, who interpreted the writing on the wall which fright- 
ened Belshazzer, was saved from the lion’s den on that Night. 

Haman wrote letters to destroy the Jews in the night. Thou 
didst gain thy victory against him by depriving Ahasuares of 
sleep in that Night. 

The wine-press was trodden for the inquiring watchmen : 
How late in that Night. 


692 


lESAT NASSAR. 


A shout as that of the watchman’s cry — the Morning comes — 
yet always follows the Night ! It was Midnight. 

Hasten the day that is called: Neither Day nor Night.” 
Make known, Oh Lofty One, that thine is the Day as also the 
Night. Put watchmen in thy habitation for every day and every 
night. Illuminate as daylight the gloomy Night. It was at 
Midnight. 

And now commemorate the sacrificial Pascal feast. 

The absolute power of Thy strength didst thou reveal by 
wonders at the time of the Passover. 

To a great Feast of feasts didst thou exalt the Feast of Pass- 
over. 

Thou didst reveal thyself to Abraham at Midnight at the time 
of the Passover. And therefore commemorate the sacrificial 
Pascal feast. Thou didst knock at his doors in the heat of day at 
Passover. He gave unleavened cakes to the angels with deeds 
of merit at Passover. He hastened to the oxen stall, having 
anticipated that sacrificial beast for the Feast of the Passover. 
Therefore commemorate the sacrificial feast. 

The inhabitants of Sodom angered God and went up in flames 
at the time of the Passover. 

Lot was rescued from them ; he who baked unleavened cakes 
for the angels at the time of Passover. 

Thou didst waste the lands of Noph and Moph when thou 
passedst through them at Passover. Therefore commemorate the 
sacrificial Pascal feast. 

The head of every firstborn didst thou crush, Oh Jehovah, in 
the night-watches of the Passover. But Thy firstborn Son 
Israel Thou didst pass over, Thou Almighty, through the blood- 
sprinkling of the feast of Passover, — Thou didst prevent the des- 
troyer, from entering our dwellings, and therefore we commemo- 
rate the sacrificial Pascal feast. 

The strong fortress of Jericho was surrendered at the festival 
of Passover. 

The Camp of Midian was destroyed througli the merits of the 
barley cake that was made of the sheaf offered at Passover. 

The (Assyrian) princes of Pul and Lud were burned as sacri- 
ficial flames at Passover, and therefore we commemorate the 
sacrificial Pascal feast. 

The King Sanacherib was obliged to tarry in Nob till he was 
overtaken by the season of Passover. 


APPENDIX. 


693 


The Unseen Hand wrote the downfall of Babylon at the sea- 
son of Passover. While the holy candlestick burned and the table 
was spread at the feast of Passover. Therefore commemorate 
the sacrificial Pascal feast. 

Esther, that myrtle, called the people to a three-fold feast at 
the season of Passover. 

Hainan, the Chief of the Wicked, didst Thou hang fifty cubits 
high at Passover. 

Once a double (fatal) misfortune befell the inhabitants of Uz 
at the season of Passover. — Oh, that thy power might glorify 
itself and thy right hand might be raised as it was on the Night 
of the solemn consecration of the feast of the Passover. And now 
commemorate the sacrificial Pascal feast. — Invocation for first 
night of Passover, Hagada Pesakh Talmud. 

Jesus said unto the chief priests and captains of the temple, 
and the elders : But this is your hour and the power of darkness. 
— For men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their 
deeds were evil. — But we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood ; but against the world 
rulers of this darkness ; against the spiritual hosts of wickedness. 
— Luke xxii. John Hi. i. Thess. v. Eph. vi. 

And the ten sons of Haman were slain with the sword, and 
before their spirits went out of them, they were hung up be- 
side Haman. — Migilah Esther Talm. 

The Fate of Haman and His Sons a Warning to Who- 
ever Dares to Oppose the Jews.— The ethical standard of the 
Jewish Bible has suffered many attacks, but no book has been so 
severely charged with a low standard of morality as the Book of 
Esther. Even such a strong believer as Martin Luther wanted 
to expunge this book from the Holy Scriptures. It is needless to 
rehearse the charges made against this little book. They are in 
the mouth of every one, thanks to the popularization of the so- 
called higher criticism of the Bible. — Now it Matters Very 
Little For Our Purpose Whether the Book of Esther Is, 
OR Is Not Based on Historical Facts. We Shall Examine 
It As a Literary Production, and As Such, Its Explana- 
tion Lies Within Itself. 

When that conspiracy is discovered and Haman’s fall is ef- 
fected, there remains the difficult task of undoing the widespread 


694 


lESAT NASSAR. 


evil SO cunningly devised by the Agagite. — Battles were fought 
over the country (Persia) in all of which the Jews were victorious 
because, as the Book says : ‘‘ the fear of them fell upon all the 
people, and all the ruLrs, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, 
and the officers of the King helped the Jews, because the fear of 
Mordecai had fallen upon them.” — What does the queen (Esther) 
demand? — She demands a renewal of yesterday’s slaughter, and 
even the hanging of the (dead) sons of Haman. — What motive 
could this woman have for asking that the corpses of her ad- 
versary’s sons be publicly exposed ? — Nor is it difficult to under- 
stand that one such official act as the exposure, to public dis- 
grace, of the sons of Haman could do more towards frightening 
the excited rabble, than fights or decrees. 

Leave all morbid sentimentality aside; and read the Book of 
Esther again, and you will find what all sensible men have ever 
found ; a masterly literary production with its tendenz (tendency 
meaning) skillfully hidden, and yet made visible, as a moral lesson 
must be in every well-told story. — Rev. Dr. Marcus M. Jastrow^s 
Purim Lecture. See Jewish Exponent., March 16th, i^94- Phila- 
delphia, U. S. A. 

Are These Men Marked For Death? — The festival of 
the commemoration of Israel’s salvation from the murderous 
H’Ameliki, by Mordecai the Judaen and Queen Esther, should 
inspire every son and daughter of Israel with faith and courage 
to fight the ‘‘ Battle of Jehovah” against Amelek. This brute 
of Antiquity— Amelek — is not dead; he lives in every epoch of 
history; in every clime and country; in every stage of society, 
and confronts Israel in every walk of life. In Germany, Amelek 
is typified in ex-Court Chaplain Stoecker; in France, in Drum- 
mond; in Austria, by Professor Rohling; in England and Canada, 
by Professor Goldwin Smith ; in Russia, by the Czar Alexander 
III.; and in this country (United States), in the obscure star 
Poultney Bigelow, that ascended the journalistic horizon. — See 
Jewish Exponent March 23/*^/, 1894. Philadelphia, U. S. A. 

All Opponents To Be Crushed. — Israelites know that the 
prejudice against them is not affected by time or reason. The 
children of the Book were rightly forewarned never to forget the 
Amelekites, because these and other implacable enemies would 
never throughout their generations let up their Rishus (‘‘tyranny”) 
or show a willingness to be forgotten. — Let Purim speak this 


APPENDIX. 


69s 


lesson of gladness. — The same good God who delivered our 
people from the Hamans of old, will raise up Esthers and Mor- 
decais in our days to bring about His righteous ends. — The 
genius of the Hebrew language has provided more than half a 
dozen synonymous words for ‘‘Joy ” and on Purim all of them 
should characterize the Jew’s feelings.^ — Editorials hi Jewish Ex- 
ponent^ March 16 th, 1894. Philadelphia, U. S. A. 

Then gathered the Chief Priests and the Pharisees in council, 
and said : What do we ? for this man doeth many signs. If we 
let him thus alone, all men will believe on him ; and the Romans 
will come and take away both our place and our nation. 

But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that 
year, said unto them : Ye know nothing at all, nor do ye take 
account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for 
the people, and that the whole nation perish not. — Now this he 
said not of himself, but being High Priest that year, he pro- 
phesied that Jesus should die for the nation ; and not for the 
nation only, but that he might also gather together into one, the 
children of God that are scattered abroad. 

And the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered 
together both chief priests and scribes and they led Jesus into 
their council. Now the chief priests and the whole council 
sought false witnesses against Jesus, that they might put him to 
death, and they found it not. For many bare false witness against 
him, and their witness agreed not together. — Nevertheless among 
the chief rulers also many believed on Jesus, but because of the 
Pharisees they did not confess him ; lest they should be put out 
of the synagogue (excommunicated). — And they all say unto 
him : If thou art the Christ ? tell us. Jesus said unto them : If 
I tell you, ye will not believe, and if I ask you, ye will not answer. 
But from henceforth shall the Son of Man be seated at the right 
hand of the power of God. — And the high priest said unto Jesus : 
I adjure thee by the living God (God of Life) that thou tell us 
whether thou be the Christ, the Son of the Blessed ? Jesus saith 
unto him : I am. — Then the high priest rent his garments, saying: 
He hath spoken blasphemy : what further need have we of wit- 
nesses ? Behold now ye have heard the blasphemy: what think 
ye ? — They answered and said: He is worthy of death. — Then 
did they spit in his face and buffet him ; and some smote him 
with the palms of their hands. — Matt., Mark, Luke, John, 


696 


lESAT NASSAU. 


Israel is the son of God according to the Cabala. — So 
ihe Holy Blessed be He, hath a Son born to him by the Matrone- 
tha (Shekhenah). He sends him to the World to grow up. 
Moses said (to Israel) ‘‘Ye are the children of Y H V H your 
Elohim ” (/. e., Jehovah your Gods). — Qabbalak^by Isaac Meyer^ 
LL.B.^ etc. 

Then Pilate called together the elders and scribes, the priests 
and levites, and said unto them, privately : Do not act thus : I 
have found nothing in your charge against Jesus concerning his 
curing sick persons and breaking the Sabbath, worthy of death. — 
The priests and levites replied to Pilate : By the life of Caesar, if 
any one be a blasphemer, he is worthy of death ; but this man 
hath blasphemed against the Lord. — Pilate said unto them : Why 
should he die ? The Jews answered : We have a law, and by our 
law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God 
and a King. — When Pilate heard that saying, he was the more 
afraid and went again into the judgment hall and saith unto 
Jesus: Whence art thou ? Jesus answered: If my Kingdom were 
of this world, then would my officers fight that I should not be 
delivered unto the Jews. — Then Pilate saith unto him : Knowest 
not thou that I have power to crucify thee? — Jesus answered: 
Thou couldst have no power against me except it were given thee 
from above; therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the 
greater sin. — And from henceforth Pilate sought to release him. 

And Pilate was filled with anger and went out of the hall and 
said to the Jews : I call the whole world to witness that I find no 
fault in that man. — Then Pilate, having called together Nicode- 
mus and the fifteen men who had said that Jesus was not born 
through fornication, and said to them : What shall I do, seeing 
there is like to be a tumult of the people? — Nicodemus stood 
before the Governor and said: O righteous Judge ; I spake to 
the elders of the Jews and the scribes and priests and levites in 
their assembly : “ What is it that ye would do with this man ? He 
is a man who hath wrought many useful and glorious miracles ; 
such no man ever wrought before, nor will ever work. Let him 
go, and do him no harm; for if he cometh from God, his mira- 
culous cures will continue ; but if from men, they will come to 
naught. And now let this man go; because the very miracles 
for which ye accuse him are from God, and he is not worthy of 
death.’* 


APPENDIX., 


697 

Also many other Jews, both men and women cried out and 
said: He is truly the Son of God who cures all diseases: this 
power can proceed from none but God. 

The Governor, hearing this, said to the multitude of the Jews 
(Sanhedrim) What will it profit you to shed innocent blood ? — 
The Jews said to' Nicodemus : Art thou become his disciple, 
making speeches in his favor? Nicodemus saith to them : Is the 
Governor become his disciple also, and does he make speeches 
for him ? Did not Caesar place him in that high place ? When the 
Jews heard this, they trembled and gnashed their teeth at Nico- 
demus. 

But when the Governor looked upon the people that were 
present, and the Jews, he saw many of the Jews in tears, and 
said to the Chief Priests of the Jews: All the people do not de- 
sire his (Jesus) death. The elders of the Jews answered Pilate: 
We and all the people came hither for this very purpose that he 
should die. — Pilate said unto them: If these (his) words seem to 
you blasphemy, do you bring him to your Court and try him ac- 
cording to your law. — The Jews reply to Pilate : Our law saith : 
He shall be obliged to receive nine and thirty stripes : but if 
after this manner he shall blaspheme the Lord, he shall be stoned. 
— Pilate said to them : Let him be only whipped and sent away. 
— Gospels of Matt. ^ Mark., Luke, Johft and Nicodemus. 

Jewish Law had it, that he who was condemned to death, 
was not to be previously scourged. — Keth. 37. b. top., Eder- 
s helm's Life of Jesus, Vol. LI. 


CHAPTER XLIII. 


JESUS OR BARABAS? 

Robberies of High Priest Annas and his henchmen. 
— The country was again filled with robbers and imposters who 
deluded the multitude. But as for the high priest Annas, he also 
had servants that were very wicked, who joined themselves to the 
boldest sort of the people, and went to the threshing floors, and 
took away the tithes by violence, and did not refrain from beating 
such as would not give these tithes to them. So the other high 
priests acted in the sarne manner, as did those of his servants, 


lESAT NASSAK. 


698 

without any one being able to prohibit them : so that priests who 
of old, were wont to be supported by these tithes, died for want 
of food. — But now the Sicarii went into the City by night^just 
before the festival which was at hand, and took the Scribe be- 
longing to the Governor of the Temple, whose name was Eleazar, 
the son of Annas, the high priest, and bound him and carried him 
away with them : after which they sent to Annas, and said that 
they would send the scribe to him, if he would persuade the 
Roman Governor to release ten of those prisoners which he had 
caught of their party : so Annas was plainly forced to persuade 
Albinus and gained his request of him. These robbers perpet- 
ually contrived to catch some of Annas^ servants, and would not 
let them go, till they thereby recovered some of their own Sicar- 
rii. But Annas was too hard for the rest by his riches which 
enabled him to gain those that were most ready to receive (bribes). 
— Josephus, Ant,^ xx, viii. 

Barabbas belonged to that class, not uncommon at that time, 
Avhich, under the colorable pretense of political aspirations, com- 
mitted robbery and other crimes. — Edersheim s Life of Jesus, 
VoL II 

Titus’ generals advise demolition of Temple as a hot 
BED OF CONSPIRACY AND REBELLION. — Titus gathered his com- 
manders, and proj)Osed to them that they should give him their 
advice what should be done about the holy house. — Now some 
of these thought that it would be the best way to act according 
to the rules of war and demolish it; because the Jews would 
never leave off rebelling while that house was standing ; for at 
that house it was that they used to get all together. 

Titus denounces Zealots for treachery and enmity 

AGAINST HIMSELF AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN RETURN FOR 
KINDNESS AND MANY AND GREAT PRIVILEGES GRANTED TO THE 

Jewish people. — Now Titus was deeply affected by this state of 
things, and said to the Zealots : Have not you, vile wretches 
that you are, put up this partition wall before your sanctuary by 
our permission ? Have not you been allowed to put up the pil- 
lars, thereto belonging, at equal distances, and on them to en- 
grave in Greek and in your own letters, this prohibition ; — that 
no foreigner should go beyond that wall ? — Have not we given 
you leave to kill such as go beyond it, even though he were a 
Roman ? — And what do you now, you pernicious villians ? — I 


APPENDIX. 


699 

appeal to the Gods of my own country, and to every God that 
ever had any regard for this place (the temple), for I do not sup- 
pose it to be regarded by any of them now. 

You have been the men that have never left off rebelling since 
Pompey first conquered you ; and have since that time made 
open war against the Romans. — Have you depended on your 
multitude, while a very small part of the Roman soldiery have 
been strong enough for you ? — Have you relied on the fidelity of 
your confederates ? — And what nations are there, out of the do- 
minions, that would choose to assist the Jews before the Romans ? 
— It can therefore be nothing, certainly, but the kindness of us 
Romans which hath excited you against us : we, who, in the first 
place have given you this land to possess. — In the next place, we 
have set over you, kings of your own nation. — In the third place, 
we have preserved the laws of your forefathers to you, and have 
withal permitted you to live, either by yourselves, or among 
others, as it should please you. 

What is our chief favor of all ? — We have given you leave to 
gather up that tribute which is paid to God (temple tribute sent 
to Jerusalem) with such other gifts that are dedicated to him. — 
Nor have we called those that carried these donations to any 
account, nor prohibited them ; till at length you became richer 
than ourselves, even when you were our enemies. — You made 
preparations for war against us with our money ; nay, after all, 
when you were in the enjoyment of all these advantages, you 
turned your too great plenty against those that gave it to you; 
and like merciless serpents, have thrown out your poison against 
those that have treated you kindly. 

Nor were you ashamed of raising disturbances against us when 
we were made emperors, and this, while you have experienced 
how mild we have been while we were no more than generals of 
the army. — When the government developed upon us, and all of 
the peoples did thereupon be quiet, and even foreign nations did 
send embassies and did congratulate our access to the govern- 
ment ; — then did you Jews show yourselves to be our enemies. — 
You sent embassies to those that are of your nation beyond 
Euphrates (Adiabene) to assist you in raising disturbances ; sedi- 
tions arose; one tyrant contended against another, and a civil 
war broke out among you; such, indeed, as became none but so 
wicked a people as your sire.-^Jos. Wars VI., 2. 

Strangers Forbidden to Enter Temple under Pain of 


lESAT NASSAR. 


700 

Death. — M. Clermont Ganneau thus described his discovery in 
the AthencBum of June 10, 1871 : Permit me to make known, in a 
few words, an important discovery which I have just made in 
Jerusalem. It is one of those tablets which, in the temple recon- 
structed by Herod, forbade strangers, as Josephas tells us, from 
passing the sacred enclosure; the prohibition being written in 
Greek and Latin. — The tablet which I have found bears the fol- 
lowing inscription in Greek in seven lines. The translation is : 
‘‘No stranger is to enter within the balustrade around the temple 
and enclosure. Whoever is caught, will be responsible to himself 
for his death, which will ensue.’* — We must observe that Josephus 
does not speak of the tragic fate which menaced him who might 
violate this rule : his silence is certainly intentional. — Twenty- One 
Yearns Work in the Holy Land. Palestme Exploration Fund. 

What the name Cyrus signifies. — We are informed by 
Strabo that Cyrus’ original name was Agradates ; but he assumed 
that of Couros or Kouresh, which means “ The Sun ” ; doubtless 
on ascending the throne. — Biblical Encyclopedia^ by John Kitto^ 
D.D. 

Now in the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia, that the word 
of the Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, 
the Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, King of Persia, that he 
made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, saying : Thus 
saith Cyrus, King of Persia; All the Kingdoms of the earth hath 
the Lord, the God of heaven, given me ; and he hath charged me 
to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judea. Whoso- 
ever there is among you of all his people, let him go up to Jeru- 
salem, which is in Judea, and build the house of the Jehovah, the 
God of Israel, he is the God which is in Jerusalem. — Ezra i. 

. The Jews persuade the Persians to Build them a 
Temple and to Grant them Unlimited Privileges and 
Possession of the Country. — In the first year of the reign of 
Cyrus he wrote this throughout all Asia : Thus saith Cyrus the 
King : Since God Almighty hath appointed me to be King of the 
habitable earth, I believe that He is the God which the nation of 
the Israelites worship ; for he indeed foretold my name by the 
prophets, and that I should build him a house at Jerusalem, in 
the country of Judea.” 

This was known to Cyrus by his reading the book which 


APPENDIX. 


^01 


Isaiah left behind him of his prophecies; for this prophet said 
that God had spoken to him in a secret vision, thus: ‘‘ My will 
is, that Cyrus, send back my people to their own land, and build 
my temple.” — Accordingly, when Cyrus read this, an earnest de- 
sire and ambition seized upon him to fulfil what was so written. 
So he called the most eminent Jews that were in Babylon, and 
said to them that he gave them leave to go back to their own 
country, and to rebuild the city Jerusalem and the temple of - 
God. For that he would be their assistant, and would write to 
the rulers and governors that were in the neighborhood of their 
country of Judea, that they should contribute to them gold and 
silver for the building of the temple, and, besides that, beasts for 
their sacrifices. 

But when Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, had taken the king- 
dom, the Governors in Syria and Phoenicia, and the countries of 
Ammon and Moab and Samaria, wrote an epistle to Cambyses, 
whose contents were as follows : — 

‘‘To our Lord Cambyses : We, thy servants, Rathumus the 
historiographer, and Semellius the scribe, and the rest that are 
thy judges in Syria and Phoenicia, send greeting — It is fit, O 
King, that thou shouldest know that those Jews that were carried 
to Babylon, are come into our country and are building that 
wicked and rebellious city and its market places, and setting up 
its walls, and raising up the temple. Know, therefore, that when 
these things are finished, they will not be willing to pay tribute, 
nor will they submit to thy commands, but will resist kings and 
will choose rather to rule over others than to be ruled over them- 
selves. We therefore thought it proper to write to thee, O King, 
while the works about the temple are going on so fast. And not 
to overlook this matter, that thou mayest search into the books 
of thy fathers, for thou wilt find in them that the Jews have been 
rebels and enemies to kings; as hath their city been also, which, 
for that reason hath till now been laid waste. We thought 
proper also to inform thee of this matter, because thou mayest 
otherwise perhaps be ignorant of it; that, if this city be once in- 
habited, and be entirely encompassed with walls, thou wilt be 
excluded from the passage to Celesyria and Phoenicia.” 

When Cambyses had read the epistle, he wrote back to them 
as follows: — Cambyses the King, to Rathumus the historio- 
grapher,' to Beelthemus, to Semellius the scribe, and the rest that ' 
are in commission and dwelling in Samaria and Phoenicia, after this 


7o2 


lESAT NASSAR. 


manner: I have read the epistle that was sent from you, an:l I 
gave order that the books of my fathers should be searched into. 
It is there found, that this city (Jerusalem) hath always beeu an 
enemy to kings and its inhabitants have raised seditions and 
wars. We also are sensible that their kings have been powerful 
and tyrannical, and have exacted tribute of Celesyria and 
Ph(enicia. Wherefore, I give order that the Jews shall not be 
permitted to build that city, lest such mischief as they used to 
bring upon kings be greatly augmented. 

When this e^iistle was read and Rathumus and Semellius the 
scribe, and their associates, got suddenly on horseback and made 
haste to Jerusalem. They also brought a great company with 
them, and forbade the Jews to build the city and the temple. 
Accordingly, these works were hindered from going on till the 
second year of the reign of Darius, for nine years more; for 
Cambyses reigned six years, and within that time overthrew 
Egypt, and when he was come back, he died at Damascus. 

After the slaughter of the Magi, who, upon the death of 
Cambyses, attained the government of the Persians for a year, 
those families who were called the Seven Families of the Persians, 
appointed Darius, the son of Hystaspes, to be their King. Now 
he, while he was a private man, had made a vow to God, that if 
he came to be King, he would send all the vessels of God that 
were in Babylon to the Temple at Jerusalem. — Now it so fell out 
that Zerobabel, who had been made Governor of the Jews that 
were in captivity, came to Darius from Jerusalem ; for there had 
been an old friendship between him and the King. — And Zeroba- 
bel put him in mind of the vow he had made in case he should 
ever have the kingdom. 

So the King wrote to the toparchs and governors and en- 
joined them to conduct Zerobabel and those that were going with 
him to build the temple. He also wrote to them that all the 
captives wlto should go to Judea should be free; and he prohi- 
bited his deputies and governors to lay any King’s taxes upon 
the Jews; he also permitted that they should have all the land 
which they could possess themselves of, without tribute. He also 
enjoined the Idumeans and Samaritans, and the inhabitants of 
Celesyria to restore those villages which they had taken from the 
Jews; and that, besides all this, fifty talents should be given them 
for the building of the temple. He also sent letters to those rulers 
that were in Syria and Phoenicia to cut down and carry cedar 


APPENDIX. 703 

trees from Lebanon to Jerusalem, and to assist in building the 
city. 

The King also permitted the Jews to offer their appointed 
sacrifices, and that whatsoever the High Priest and the priests 
wanted, should be made at his own charges and the musical in- 
struments which the Levites used, should be given them. More- 
over, he charged them, that portions of land should be given to 
those that guarded the city and the temple, as also a determined 
sum of money every year for their maintenance ; and withal he 
sent the vessels. 

Sisinnes, the Governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathra- 
buzanes with certain others, came to Jerusalem, and asked the 
rulers of the Jews by whose grant it was that they built the tem- 
ple in this manner, since it was more like a citadel than a temple ? 
and for what reason it was that they built cloisters and walls, and 
those strong ones too, about the city. 

Zerobabel and Jeshu the High Priest, replied, that they were 
the servants of God Almighty ; that this temple was built for 
them by a King of theirs that lived in great prosperity, and that 
it continued a long time, but that because of their fathers’ im- 
piety, Nebuchadnezzar, King of the Babylonians and the Chal- 
deans, took their city and destroyed it, pillaged the temple and 
burnt it down, and transplanted the people whom he had made 
captives, and removed them to Babylon. That Cyrus, who after 
him was King of Babyonia and Persia, wrote to them to build the 
temple, — and although it had been in building from that time to 
this, it hath not yet been finished. 

Sisinnes and those that were with him, did not resolve to hin- 
der the building, until they had informed King Darius of all this. 
So they immediately wrote to him about all these affairs. — But as 
the Jews were now under terror, and afraid lest the king should 
change his resolution as to the building of Jerusalem and of the 
temple, there were two prophets at that time amongst them, 
Haggai and Zechariah, who encouraged them and bade them be 
of good cheer, and suspect no discouragement from the Persians. 

Now Darius, when the Samaritans had written to him, and in 
their epistle had accused the Jews ; how they fortified the city and 
built the temple more lik^ a citidal than a temple ; and said, that 
the r doings were not expedient for the King’s affairs ; and besides 
they showed the epistle of Cambyses, wherein he forbade them to 
build the temple. — When Darius thereby understood that the res- 


lESAT NASSAk. 


704 

toration of Jerusalem was not expedient for his affairs, and when 
he had read the epistle that was brought to him from Sisinnes and 
those that were with him, he gave order that what concerned those 
matters should be sought for among the royal records — Where- 
upon a book was found at Ecbatana, in the tower that was in 
Media, wherein was written as follows : 

“ Cyrus the King, in the first year of his reign, commanded 
that the temple should be built in Jerusalem : and the altar in 
heights, threescore cubits, and its breadth of the same, with three 
edifices of polished stone of their own country ; and he ordained 
that the expenses of it should be paid out of the king’s revenue. 
He also commanded that the vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had 
pillaged and had carried to Babylon, should be restored to the 
people of Jerusalem. That the care of these things should belong 
to Sanabassar, the Governor and President of Syria and Phoenicia 
and to his associates, that they may not meddle with that place, 
but may permit the servants of God, the Jews and their rulers, to 
build the temple. He also ordained that they should assist them 
in the work, and that they should also pay to the Jews, out of the 
tributes of the country where they were Governors, on account of 
the sacrifices, bull and rams and kids of the goats, and fine flour 
and oil and wine and all other things that the Jewish priests 
should suggest to them ; and that they should pray for the preserva- 
tion of the King and of the Persians. But for such as trans- 
gressed any of these orders thus sent to them, he commanded that 
they should be caught, and hung upon a cross, and their substance 
confiscated to the King’s use.” 

When Darius had found this book among the records of Cyrus, 
he wrote an answer to Sisinnes and his associate, whose contents 
were these : “ King Darius to Sisinnes the Governor, and to 
Sathrabazanes, sendeth greeting. Having found a copy of this 
epistle among the records of Cyrus, I send it to you ; and I will 
that all things be done as therein written. Farewell.” — Jos, Ant. 
XL, 2, III., 4, — Also, I, Darius the King, have made a decree, 
that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down 
from his house, and being set up, let him be destroyed and let 
him be lifted up and fastened thereon ; and let his house be made 
a dunghill for this. And the God that has caused his Name 
(Shekhenah) ” to dwell there, destroy all kings and people that 
shall put to their hand to destroy this house of God, which is at 
Jerusalem . — Ezra v, 7. 


APPENDIX. 


705 

He that blasphemeth the Name of the Jehovah, he shall surely 
be put to death; all the congregation shall surely stone him; as 
well the stranger as the home born when he blasphemeth the 
Name {i, e., the Shekenah) shall be put to death . — Deut xiiL 

Plots of the High Priests to assure Jesus’ death. — 
Abandoning this line of testimony (the desecration of the Sabbath 
and Divine Sonship) the Priests next brought forward, probably 
some of their own order, who, on the first Purgation of the Tem- 
ple, had been present. Dexterously manipulated, the testimony 
of these witnesses might lead up to two charges. It would show 
that Christ was a dangerous seducer of the people, whose claims 
might have led those who believed them, to lay violent hands on 
the Temple; while the supposed assertion, that he would or was 
able, to build the Temple again within three days, might be made 
to imply Divine or magical pretentions. Its reproduction now, 
as a criminal charge, must have been directly due to Annas and 
Caiaphas. 

Viewed as a Jewish charge it would have been difficult, if not 
impossible, to construe a capital crime out of such charges ; 
although, to say the least, a strong popular prejudice might have 
been raised against Jesus; and this was, no doubt, one of the 
objects which Caiaphas had in view. — But it has been strangely 
forgotten, that the purpose of the High Priest was not to formu- 
late a capital charge in Jewish Law, but to formulate a charge 
which would tell before the Roman Procurator . — EdersheinCs 
Life of Jesus. Vol. JI, 

And there stood up certain witnesses against Jesus, saying: 
We heard him say : “ I will destroy this temple that is made with 
hands, and in three days I will build another that is made without 
hands.” And not even so, did their witnesses agree together. — 
And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, say- 
ing : Answerest thou nothing ? What is it which these witness 
against thee ? But he held his peace and answered nothing. 

They led Jesus, therefore, from Caiaphas unto the palace, 
and they themselves entered not into the palace that they might 
not be defiled. — Pilate brought Jesus out, and sat down on the 
judgment seat at a place called the Pavement . — John xviii. xix. 

High Priests would not enter Roman Judgment Hall. 
— To us it may seem strange, that they who, in the lowest view 

45 


706 


lESAT NASSAR. 


of it, had committed so grossly unrighteous, and were intent on 
so cruel and bloody a deed, should have been prevented by relig- 
ious scruples from entering the Praetorium. — Few expressions, have 
given rise to more earnest controversy than this. — On two things 
at least, we can speak with certainty. — ‘ Entrance into a heathen 
house did Livitically render impure ^ for the day ; that is, till the 
evening. — ‘‘ The other point is, that to have become so impure 
for the day, would not have disqualified for eating the Pascal 
Lamb, since that meal was partaken of after the evening, and 
when a new day had begun. — EdersheinC s Life of Jesus, VoL II, 

Then the J ews say unto Pilate : But he said : I can destroy 
the temple of God and in three days build it up again. — Pilate 
saith unto them : What sort of a temple is that of which he speak- 
eth? The Jews say unto him: That which Solomon was forty- 
six years in building, he said he would destroy. Our law saith, 
that if after this manner he shall blaspheme the Lord, he shall be 
stoned : we desire that he shall be crucified because he deserves 
the death of the cross. — Pilate said unto them : It is not fit that 
he should be crucified. 

Now at that feast the Governor was wont to release unto the 
people, a prisoner whom they would. And they had then, a 
notable prisoner called Barabas, which lay bound with them that 
had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in 
the insurrection. — And the multitude, crying aloud, began to de- 
sire Pilate to do as he had ever done to them. — Therefore, when 
they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them : Whom will 
ye that I release unto you? Barabas, or Jesus, which is called 
the Christ ? 

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that 
they should ask for Barabas and destroy Jesus. — And they cried 
out : Away with this man and release unto us Barabas. 

Pilate, therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again unto 
them. But they cried out, saying : Let him be crucified. — And 
he said unto them, the third time : Why, what evil has he done ? 
I have found no cause for death in him. 

Again they cry out and say to Pilate : You are not the friend 
of Caesar if you release this man ; for he hath declared that he is 
the Son of God and a King. — Are you inclined that he should be 
King and not Caesar ? 

Then Pilate, filled with anger, said unto them: Your nation 


APPENDIX. 707 

hath always been seditious, and you are always against those who 
have been of service to you. 

And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that Jesus 
might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief 
priests, prevailed. 

When Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing ; but that rather a 
tumult was made ; he took water, and washed his hands before 
the multitude, saying : I am innocent of the blood of this just 
person ; see ye to it. 

Then answered all the people. — His blood be upon us, and 
on our children ! 

Then Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 
— And Pilate released unto them, Barabas, him that for sedition 
and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired. 

And Pilate commanded Jesus to be brought before him, and 
spake to him the following words : — Thy own nation hath charged 
thee as making thyself a King; wherefore, I, Pilate, sentence 

thee ACCORDING TO THE LaWS OF FORMER GOVERNORS. Then 

delivered he Jesus unto their will, and they took Jesus and led 
him away. — Gospels of Mail., Mark, Luke, John and Nicodemus 

The Jews and not the Romans killed Jesus. — Peter 
said : Ye men of Israel the God of our fathers, hath glorified his 
child Jesus whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of 
Pilate, when he had determined to release him. But ye denied 
the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be 
granted unto you, and killed the Prince of Life. — Acts Hi. 

Pilate washed his Hands to show the Jews that Rome 
WAS NOT A Participant in the Murder of the Lord Jesus. 
— If any one be found slain in the land, and it be not known who 
hath smitten him. — All the elders of that city shall wash their 
hands and say : Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have 
our eyes seen it. — And the blood shall be forgiven them. — Deut. 
xxi. 


Pilate’s last appeal for Jesus in the Tower of An- 
tonia. — At the time of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the 
Tower of Antonia was, as formerly, the residence of the Gov- 
ernor, and there Pontius Pilate declared Our Saviour innocent, 
and there he delivered him to the Jews to be crucified. — Lieux 
Historiques de la Terre Sainte pat Le Frere Lievin de la Hamme. 


708 


lESAT NASSAR. 


CHAPTER XLIV. 


THE GREAT MURDER. 

Talmud account of the Murder of Jesus. — Why the 
Holy Women went to Mourn at his Tomb before Dawn. 
— The Jewish Sages did not wait for the Yom Tof, feast day, but 
this Jesus was brought out on the day before the Eve of Passover. 
That same day they led him to the place where ^-hey used to 
stone all those who merited such death, and there they stoned 
Jesus, Towards evening they wanted to hang him on a tree, but 
the tree would not bear his dead body, because, before his death, 
Jesus had, by the power of the Shem (Shekhenah) conjured all 
the trees that they should not receive his body. 

Then Rabbi Yehuda Ish Bari Totha ran and pulled out a 
large and thick root, like a tree, out of his own garden, and brought 
it, and they hanged Jesus on it. And when the sun had set, the 
body of Jesus was taken down and buried outside the city. But 
the Jewish Sages went away very much satisfied, and rejoiced at 
the wonders which God had done for them . — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri. 

Jewish modes of Execution. — Meaning of words carry- 
ing THE Cross. — The modes of execution among the Jews were : 
strangulation, beheading, burning and stoning. The indignity of 
hanging, and this only after the criminal had been otherwise 
executed, was reserved for the crimes of idolatry and blas- 
phemy. The place where criminals were stoned was on an eleva- 
tion about eleven feet high ; from whence the criminal was 
thrown down by the first witness, the second witness would throw 
a large stone on his heart as he lay. If not yet lifeless, the whole 
people would stone him. 

The Targum (Com. Talmud on Ruth i., 17) speaks of cruci- 
fixion as one of the four modes of execution which Naomi de- 
scribed to Ruth as those in custom in Palestine; the other three 
being stoning, burning and beheading. Indeed, the expression, 
‘‘bearing the cross” as indicative of sorrow and suffering, is so 
common that we read in Midrash Bereshith Rabba on Gen. xxii., 
6 : “ Abraham carried the wood for the sacrifice of Isaac like one 
who bears his cross on his shoulder.” 


APPENDIX. 


yog 

The crucified hated Israel and their law, as Isaiah pro- 
phesied : ‘^Your new moons and your feasts my soul hateth.’^ 
Know also that he delighteth not in Israel, as Hosea prophesied : 
“Ye are not my*people.” — And although it is in his (Jesus) power 
to extirpate them from the world in a moment from out of every 
place, yet he does not purpose to destroy them, but intends to 
leave them in order that they be in memory of his crucifixion and 
lapidation to all generations. (Rabbi Simon Kepha.) — Eders- 
heim's Life of Jesus. Vol. II. 

And there followed Jesus a great multitude of the people, and 
of women, who bewailed and lamented him. And they bring 
Jesus unto the place Golgotha, and they crucify him: And Jesus 
cried in a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. — Matt., Mark, 
Luke, John. 

The Jewish Hierocracy and not the Roman Govern- 
ment Murdered Jesus. — Peter and the other apostles answered 
the council and the High Priest (Caiaphas and Annas). The God 
of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a 
TREE. — Acts Apostles iv., v., x.. 

J oseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of J esus, but secretly for 
fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away the 
body of J esus ; and Pilate gave him leave. And there came also 
Nicodemus, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes. So they took 
the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices. 
And the women which had come with Jesus out of Galilee, 
followed after and beheld the tomb and how his body was laid. — 
Luke xxiii. John xix. 

Who Nicodemus was. — A Nicodemus is spoken of in the 
Talmud as one of the richest and most distinguished citizens of 
Jerusalem. But his name was only given him on account of a 
miracle which happened at his request, his real name being Banai, 
the son of Gorion. — EdersheM s Life of Jesus. Vol. II. 

Prison of the Christ in the great Cathedral of the 
Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. — A sombre chapel belonging 
to the Greek Orthodox Church is, according to tradition, built on 
the site of a cavern which served as a prison of our Lord Jesus 
Christ and of the thieves, while the necessary preparations were 
being made for their crucifixion. Near the door to the right is a 


710 


lESAT NASSAR. 


species of cage where, over a stone hollowed in the form of 
stocks, the Greeks keep a lamp ever burning ; believing that our 
Lord was imprisoned with his feet in the holes of this stone and 
fastened together underneath the cross-bar by a chain . — Lieux 
Historiques de la lerre Sainte^ par le Frere Lievin de la Hamme, 

Remains of Old Wall inside the City. — By studying the 
walls of Jerusalem (ancient and modern) I found that some 
Christian writers say that Constantine’s building, or the Church 
of the Holy Sepulchre, reached to the western town wall (see 
‘‘Tobler Top. Jerusalem,” I., p. 135, and ‘‘Golgotha’s,” p. 16). 
This “ western town wall ” could not be Hadrian’s, which was at 
that time destroyed, and which had to be rebuilt by the Christ- 
ians. So when Constantine had built the Church, the Church 
wanted protection, and a wall was built near to it on the west 
side, which wall was restored and improved by Eudoxia the Em- 
press. This (western) wall began either at the corner of the so- 
called ancient “ second” wall, or as I rather think started from 
the northern end of the ancient “ broad wall ” which is the dam 
or mound wall on the eastern or valley side of Hezekiah’s Pool. 
— October^ 1891. 

I worked and studied very earnestly first the lines of the 
walls of ancient Jerusalem; secondly, the siege by Titus ; thirdly, 
the kind of churches built in the time of Constantine, and fourthly, 
HOW all this may agree and be reconciled with the pres- 
ent BUILDINGS AND THE OLD REMAINS WHICH WERE FOUND. 

Thus I had not only to do with the Russian ground — but with 
the whole neighborhood round about, examining all the cisterns, 
whether they were hewn in the rock or built, the drains, the 
cellars of the houses, etc., and making a plan of the whole. In 
the course of this work I found the continuation of the old Jewish 
wall, consisting of large stones, in a long line northward, and that 
Byzantine work was first built upon it, then Crusading, and 
finally Mahomedan. In a vault I could point out clearly 
masonry of five different periods. So that it became evident to 
me that Constantine, on this eastern side of the present Church, 
built his Basilica on the remains of the old Jewish walls — which 
had here once formed a fortress — perhaps the residence of Nehe- 
miah (chap, iii., 7) the throne or seat of the governor on this side 
of the river, and perhaps the tower mentioned by Josephus 
(Wars V., VII., iv.) as the middle one of the northern (the second) 


APPENDIX. 


711 

wall, which was defended by a cunning man named Castor. 
When this part of the wall was taken by the Romans, they came 
soon to the market or bazaars of the goldsmiths or apothecaries, 
or spice sellers, which are still here — and they, in Nehemiah’s 
time, repaired the wall here.. I found further, that on the west 
side of this fortress there runs along a ditch, in which several cis- 
terns are now built, and a part of which is still the Chapel of 
Helena.” (Thinking this to be my own idea, I found afterwards 
to my astonishment that even several old Christian pilgrims have 
mentioned this in their writings.) Beyond this ditch stands the 
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and hence Constantine’s building 
was of great length. I now became overwhelmingly persuaded 
and convinced that really Constantine built his Church here, and 
that the second wall ran here, so that the place of Calvary was 
without the wall, although very near to it ; and this is just what the 
Gospel says — ^John xix., 20. Many other things brought me to 
the same result, viz., that very likely this is the real place 
where our Lord suffered. — Baurath C, von Schick^ in Quarterly 
Statements of Palestine Exploration Fund, Oct., 1891 and April 
1893. 


CHAPTER XLV. 


RESURRECTION AND ASCENTION. 

Why the Holy Women went to Mourn at the Holy 
Sepulchre before Daybreak. — An apostate was not to be 
mourned ; on the contrary, white dress was to be worn on the 
occasion of his decease and other demonstrations of joy to be 
made. — Eder. Jew, Social Life. 

But those who had believed in Jesus came together at his 
tomb to mourn for him by night ; for they were afraid to come 
by day, because the Jewish sages sought to tear up and root out 
such dogs. The respectable Jews also mocked them and said: 
Thus perish all thine enemies Oh God! — Toledoth Yeshu Ha 
Nossri. 

Talmud boast of how the Jewish Chief Priests abused 
THE Sacred Body of our Lord. — The body of Jesus was not 


712 


TESAT NASSAR. 


found in the tomb. Then Queen Helena rose up in anger, 
and said to the Jewish sages : I will give you seven days' time to 
find him; if, however, you do not produce his body, I have de- 
cided on how I shall judge you. — All the Khakhomim (sages) 
went from the presence of the Queen very sorrowful and pro- 
claimed a fast for three days and three nights, and prayed God 
that it should be revealed to them what had become of the body 
of Jesus. 

Then Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi lasr Khome : Do not 
fear; I took the body and buried it in a place which none can 
approach, because I feared that the roshoyim (wicked ones) 
might steal him, and afterwards say that he ascended to heaven. 
— So the chief priests hastened and related this whole story to 
the Queen Helena. While they yet talked with her. Rabbi 
Yehuda Ish Bari Totha (Judas Iscariot) also arrived, and stated 
in the Queen’s presence that the body of Yeshu (Jesus) lay buried 
by him in his garden. 

The Queen said: Bring the body hither that my own eyes 
may see it. 

But the Jewish sages replied : Oh, we will bring it; but per- 
mit us first to make a little derisive sport of the body, as becomes 
such a sorcerer and misleader as this Roshe (Jesus) was. 

The Queen replied : Do with him as you please ; only I must 
see him myself, that I may know that you have really executed 
him. 

Thereupon the Jewish sages immediately went to the garden 
of Rabbi Judas Iscariot, and took the body out of the grave, 
which was under a little stream, and tied the body by the hair of 
its head to the tail of a horse, and dragged it thus through all 
the streets of Jerusalem, and brought it thus tied at the horse's 
tail opposite the palace of the Queen Helena. — And the Jewish 
Sages said to the Queen Helena : There you can now behold the 
corpse of the Anointed One, of the deceiver. — Toledoth Yeshu 
Ha Nossri, 

The Holy Sepulchre. — The Holy Women. — He is not 
Here! — The Ascension. — The women which had come with 
Jesus out of Galilee, on the first day of the week at early dawn 
came unto the tomb. — And they entered in and found not the 
body of the Lord Jesus. — And behold two men stood by them 
in dazzling apparal and said unto them : Why seek ye Him that 


APPENDIX. 


713 


liveth among the dead ? — He is not here, but is risen ! Remem- 
ber how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee. — When 
it was evening on that day and the doors were shut where the 
disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the 
midst and said unto them : Peace be unto you. And the disci- 
ples were glad when they saw the Lord. But Didymus was not 
with them when Jesus came. And again the disciples were 
gathered together, and Didymus was with them. And as they 
spake of these things, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them 
and said : Peace be unto you. And He lifted up his hands and 
blessed them, and while He blessed them He was parted from 
them. — Luke xxiv. John xxi. 

The Apostles taught the existence of the Spiritual 
BODV. — Neither doeth corruption inherit incorruption. For this 
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on 
immortality. There is a natural body; there is also a spiritual 
body. As we have borne the image of the earthly, we also shall 
bear the image of the heavenly. — 1 . Corinthians xv. 

Holy Women and Disciples directed to go to Viri 
Galilei on Mount of Olives. — It was at the Coenaculum that 
Jesus appeared to his disciples. — Almost on the plateau of the 
Mount of Olives, the road branches. That to the left conducts 
to the Mont Viri Galilei, which is only a part of the Mount of 
Olives. In this Viri Galilei or Kurm es-Saied (Lord’s Orchard) 
the Galileans, according to tradition, had a kind of national inn 
which they inhabited during the celebration of their feasts at 
Jerusalem; and it was at this place that what we read of the 
Ascension in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, took 
place. I am inclined to believe that it was on this Mont Viri 
Galilei that the risen Jesus preceded his disciples, and to which 
the angel directed the holy women. This tradition was equally 
credited at the time of the Crusaders. — Lieux Historiques de la 
Terre Sainte^ par le Frere Lievin de la Hamme . 


THE END. 






I 



\ 




\ 





\ 




4 

r’. 


,/ ' 

I 

( 

i • 


» 


' 4. I , 

A I II 




i ' ' 


H4 


i 



I 


\ 



\ 



A 


( 


\ 



^ * 







& 

* ^ 

''*b 

^ ir ♦W^’. 

“ ''i*- d^ .‘ 

• 4 0 * 

•’* *=?#,*»•'» aO 

^ ^ aO^ • ’ • ® 

£t *» j.. x*^ 




* ^ 

’*« 4^ 

* ^ ' 

* ^ K 

j? •n#., . 


^ 6 ® * ** -» 


^ ^ C I. 

^ 'JP’a. ^ ^ ^ 

« Cr « 


.< •. 


v^ « 

'* ^ ”• 

5 ' 0 ^ O • * * 

0 t* . 1 *^^ 


^%, aO' 




--^SMXWN^ '* > 

^q. .o '5 


C •» -'.6 

*^-'. %, ,c- / 

4 0 • 

4 <L^ -<V 

♦ ^^ ^ •* 

^ * '-W/ - f 


' 

^ V 

•<» ^ 4 ^ 

t ; 

® '*uv 

' oiT 

' Sy ^ 

0 ^ , . ‘ ' • « 

* « 


** A^ * 

vA V « 


* *. 

A ^ ^ 

A> ^ 0 *» o ^ 




t* ^ ^t. y ^ 


• f\ 

« O " .0 , 4 

.0 V v^ 


% c.^ 





** 4^ * 

: : 

“ '*vf>- ® 

»* or ■’. 

A'^ % '“•• 

cT .•*'•» *o 


q % 

^ ■*<» « 'll # A 

’ -o o-^'' *^^ 4 ',^*^ 

« -. - 0* fto %> A^ Ol '. „ 

q^ » o . 0 •> , 0 %>*»•'• ,<r °^ * » « « J 

”'- aO^ ,••<>. *> v' *lJ!fiL'» aO 

'^'' '.^iill^* <3^ ^ *5^ 



'm 



•* 

o 



’ '»b/ « 

• ^ * 

o W "Tl* * 

.' 0^ ‘ 

» • ; o » 0^ 

Sr »!.•«» V 

*«• ,‘if 




r® t * ^ t * * * <* 

* *4> -v* * 

• ^ o' • i!^ ® , 




o K 



o Jp •T^ 

^ ^ 0 ^ 1. '» 

; Jl l^m- fS ;4'»* 

*' <f’^ '<?• 

0 o *'o . . • 


.• 


< o • 

^ ^ •* 

*•” \<>^... ‘-o 




-O' t'^Z^yy^t "^O -)^ *i^“ ■• * ** 

• . [, ♦ £l6^/7/y^/ik * » *j • .<«j!S\v If' l\^ k 

* “(tu rS 'sSmx^ * vy 4S ‘ - ™ '•'^ * 

* r^ * 

,• qO % Jy o , 

^ q, *»»':', V 

♦ *0' *•*«>* *♦* 

" vVX 

4 O V^§s.\N^ ♦ ^V 

O .,1> ."...to.v ’, -O' -••’•« 'ft .4’ .«•<» 





.y' .6 ''j:”»- *.*. 

-^b/ / 

^•°V \^y/m\-^. <L 

'b ' 

♦ >*v •> 







